


Destruction, Everywhere.

by anairdapz



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Angst, Book 3: Fire, F/M, Fluff, Original Character(s), Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-11
Updated: 2020-08-07
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:33:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 28,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25200091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anairdapz/pseuds/anairdapz
Summary: Draya is a firebender who some how ends up joining Team Avatar as Aang's firebending teacher until she realizes she can't do it and Zuko joins the group. She's pretty much just an angry teenager who's had a terrible life who meets Zuko, another angry teenager who's had a terrible life, and together they find peace.Authors Note: I ended this where the show ends, and then I read the comics. So expect a few more chapters to come!!!
Relationships: OC x Zuko
Kudos: 13





	1. First Flight

I sit with my hands bound, staring at the scene in front of me and trying to grasp what just happened. I took a deep breath, trying to keep my cool as I flew on the back of a flying bison for the first time. The two dressed in Water Tribe clothing were mumbling about something, while a small barefoot girl laid back against the saddle, snickering at their words occasionally. The small monk boy made sure his flying friend was set to fly solo before climbing into the saddle with us. The bickering tapered off while everyone glanced over at me. I could feel the blood rushing to my face, unsure of what would happen next. So, talking control of the situation, I quickly spoke up.

“Why did you bother saving me from those guards? Not that I’m complaining…” I trailed off, seeing no change in any of their facial expressions at my words.

“You saved me, I had to return the favor.” The Water Tribe girl finally spoke, breaking the silence. She walked over to me, her movements swift and soft. She knelt next to me, giving a soft smile. “I’m Katara. I’m the waterbender from the forest a few nights ago, do you remember? The guards had me surrounded and- “, I nodded before cutting her off.

“You looked familiar. What I meant is why bring me with you? Why not just... let me go while we were still… you know… on the ground?” I asked, looking over at the clouds around us, suddenly feeling gross at the thought of how high up we were. The airbender boy walked over and sat next to Katara. He gave a small wave before he spoke.

“I wanted to say thank you for helping Katara. I’m Aang, by the way. The Av-“

“The Avatar, it’s an honor.” I say, hearing the bitterness in my voice as I spoke. The airbender boy chuckled awkwardly and rubbed the back of his head.

“That’s Sokka, he’s Katara’s brother. And that’s Toph, she’s an earthbender.” She gave a wave in no general direction, her way of acknowledging the conversation I’d soon realize. “What’s your name?” Aang asked, smiling at me as he waited for an answer. I stared at the rope still binding my hands together, suddenly aware of how sore my wrists were. I took a deep breath and slowly let out a stream of fire from my mouth, which was open ever so slightly. This gained a response from the others; Katara grabbing for her water, ready to bend when needed while Sokka yelped in surprise and grabbed for his boomerang, readying himself to fight. Aang just watched as you blew the fire to burn the rope between your wrists, singeing the cuffs enough to break and slide off. I hold the smoldering rope and looked up at Katara, gesturing to the water.

“Do you mind?” I ask, prompting her to put the rope out. I set the now wet rope next to me and look back to the group, who started settling down as they realized I had no further intention in firebending.

“I don’t know what just happened, but I really thought Sokka was going to pee his pants, his heart was racing so fast.” Toph said, breaking the groups stare from me to laugh at her joke. As soon as I felt everyone relax, I looked at the Avatar.

“My name is Draya. Sorry for the show, those ropes were very uncomfortable.” I offered, smiling at Aang and Katara, showing I meant no harm. Katara beamed at me before shooting a glare at her brother, who was still pouting about the fire.

“It’s nice to meet you Draya. I’ve got to say, it’s really nice to meet a firebender who isn’t trying to attack us.” Aang said, smiling between us all before exploding into a story about a time they had to fight back against guards.

I let the conversation float along for a few moments before interrupting, trying not to let my annoyance show. “As much as a pleasure this has been, what riding with the Avatar and his… gang... but I’d really appreciate if you’d drop me off at the next boulder or whatever.” The laughter died down as they looked at me, a little hurt showing on the Avatar’s face.

“Actually, Draya. I wanted to ask you something.” The boy said, suddenly seeming nervous and timid, reminding me that the Great and Powerful Avatar really is just a kid. I held my breath, feeling a twinge of guilt for sounding so rude- they are not my enemy. I gave Aang my full attention, nodding for him to continue. “You see, I have to learn how to firebend. And I was wondering, since you’re a firebender, maybe you could teach me? I have Katara to teach me waterbending, and Toph to teach me earthbending. What I’m saying is, it would be an honor if you would travel with us and teach me how to firebend.” Aang looks at me with sincerity before bowing his head to me. “The way the guards talked about you, being able to fight back for so long, when all you were trying to do was survive… it’s obvious you can fight and firebend. You’d be the perfect firebending teacher.” I just stared at the boy, hesitant of how to answer.

“I… I’m not a firebending teacher. I’ve had to teach myself, for the most part.” I shake my head. “I’m afraid I’d be no use to you, Aang.” I firmly clasped my hands together, unexpectedly self-conscious about my bending abilities. Katara moved closer to me, causing me to look up to see her smiling at me.

“Draya, teacher or not, you’re a firebender. Being able to teach yourself shows just how resourceful you are. They arrested you for stealing bread… look, we’ve been traveling for months and I know how hard surviving out there can be. You don’t have to do it alone. Travel with us, maybe you can teach Aang what you know, and when you’re ready to go be on your own again you can. We’re not going to hold you here.” She shrugged at the others. “We’re just friends of the Avatar, traveling to find a way to save the world. What do you say?” I think about the weight of Katara’s words before sighing, turning my head to Aang.

“I’ll teach you what I know Aang, but as soon as I want to leave, I’m going to.” I say, turning away to show I was done with the conversation. I hear an excited “yes!” come from Aang before they continue babbling on about whatever it was they were talking about. I stare out at the sea of clouds, unsure of what I just agreed to. I pull my knees close to my chest and rest my chin on top, enjoying my first of many flights on Appa.


	2. Hello, Feelings Here

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draya's having a hard time trusting the others, while the rest of the Gaang refuse to give Zuko another chance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know the first two chapters are just slow build up for the story pls bear with me I swear the other chapters are longer

What started as a begrudging agreement turned into an enjoyable adventure, filled with enough mad bloodbenders and hallucinations to last a lifetime, and the group quickly won me over. It didn’t take Sokka long to warm up to me; he asked me how I felt about helping the Avatar, knowing it was Aang’s destiny to stop Fire Lord Ozai and bring balance to the world.

“Being a firebender doesn’t mean I agree with my nations policies. It also doesn’t change the fact that I will always be a firebender.” It wasn’t long after that that Sokka began including me in jokes as if I were always around. Katara wouldn’t leave my side at first, telling me about anything she deemed important that’s happened on their journey so far. Toph was the easiest to get along with, maybe because she was never afraid to speak her mind and I respected that about her. Aang was a quick learner, catching up with my firebending skills in a short time. Even after it became obvious that he couldn’t learn more from me, I hesitated to break away from the group. After all, where would I go?

We all usually trained in the same space together, Sokka yelling the occasional sarcastic words of encouragement while he practiced his sword fighting. Toph would only join when she felt like we were being “too easy” on Aang. “C’mon twinkletoes, let’s show em how real bending looks.” Even though I started to see the group as my friends, I kept a lot to myself. Katara liked to talk about her family, Aang his old friends, all the old inside jokes they have thanks to Sokka and Toph. I don’t like to talk about my life, and as friendly as everyone was, I knew I couldn’t travel with them forever. Around the same time Aang and I hit a wall in our firebending lessons, Chief Hakoda showed up with the support and reinforcements Sokka asked him to help round up for his invasion plan. I told myself I’d stick around long enough to help with the invasion on the day of the Black Sun, a day as dark as its namesake. Everything crumbled and fell apart, holes in the plan nobody could have seen coming. We ended up getting stuck, either embracing surrender or death. Hakoda and the other adults agreed to take the blame to allow us to get away. Sokka wanted to join them, not wanting them to suffer for his plan, but Hakoda insisted that we needed to stick together if we were going to help Aang defeat Fire Lord Ozai. He was right, of course.

We arrived at the Western Air Temple, Aang suggesting it as the best place for us to regroup and figure out our next step. Aang was showing us around the air temple while Sokka complained about wasting “precious world saving planning time” when Zuko showed up to offer his support to Aang as a firebending teacher.

“Hello, Zuko here.” Zuko’s typically fierce, angry tone was gone and replaced with a lighter one while he gave us a small wave. I bit my lip to keep from laughing, not sure what else to do in that moment. Appa roared in his face, before sniffing him, deeming the banished prince worthy of a lick.

“She already has a teacher, pal, and that’s Draya!” Sokka replied, cockiness heavy in his voice. The expression on the banished prince’s face as his golden eyes found me bounced from confusion to wonder to disappointment. The others made it clear that we couldn’t trust him, for so many valid reasons. There was something about the sincerity in his voice, the softness on his face, that made me believe him though. It was something he said before leaving that stuck with me, “I’m trying to explain that I’m not that person anymore!”. He left, after Katara threw water at him, and I realized that I had to help him so that he could help Aang.

We were sitting around the campfire after unpacking our sleeping bags, enjoying the first moment we’ve had to sit and talk together in days. The conversation found its way back to Zuko, emotions flying from the siblings before Katara said something that brought my attention back to the conversation and away from tending to the fire. “He starts talking about his mother and making it seem like he’s an actual human being with feelings.”

“He wants you to trust him and feel sorry for him so you can let your guard down, then he strikes.” Sokka said, anger clear in his tone.

“The thing is, it worked. I did feel sorry for him. I felt like he was really confused and hurt. But obviously when the time came, he made his choice and we paid the price.” Anger found its way to Katara’s voice too, and it became obvious to me that I was the only one willing to give Zuko a chance. At least, until Aang told us how Zuko saved his life when (then) Commander Zhao captured him.

“It sounds like he’s been trying to do good for a while then, maybe he was telling the truth earlier and he’s really trying to change.” I decide to say, quickly realizing my mistake when Katara directed her angry glare at me. I could see the irate tears threatening to slip out.

“His father led an army that invaded our village, killing my mother. I know you joined our group late, but he has been after us this entire time, hunting us down at no cost to capture Aang. He stole my mother’s necklace and used it to track us. We can’t trust him.” I didn’t know how to respond, especially because I knew Katara was right. The words that spilled out of my mouth next surprised us all the same.

“His father led an army that attacked my village too, burning it down in its entirety, killing my family and everything I knew.” My eyes widened as I clamped my mouth shut, realizing this was the first fact about myself that I’ve shared with them. Katara’s features softened as she looked at me, giving me the courage to keep talking, only to bury the information I just said. “You’re right that I don’t know what it’s like to have him hunt me down, thankfully he was already trying to better himself when I joined. I’m sorry I ever said anything.” I refused to look at anyone, not wanting to open up any more than I already have.

“Sooo how are firebending lessons going Aang? Draya?” The sound of my name causes me to look at Sokka, sighing at his question, thankful that he acknowledged the need for a topic change. I knew I had to leave the group; I knew I couldn’t be the firebending teacher the Avatar needs. How do I tell them that, though?

“They’re going really well! I don’t know if I would’ve been able to get out of that as fast as I did without surprising Azula with my firebending once the sun came back.” Aang smiled over at me, causing me to reluctantly smile back. I was suddenly afraid my words would betray me.

“I’m going for a walk.” I got up rapidly to leave and paused, looking down at the airbender boy. “Can I borrow Appa to fly up, please? I could use a change of scenery right now.” He smiled at me and nodded in response. After a small bow, I walked towards the flying bison. I had to look at the stars instead of the earth surrounding us. It was becoming suffocating.

“Hey, firecracker!” Tophs’ footsteps were skillfully quiet as she came up behind me, her nickname for me causing me to stop and turn around. She stopped in front of me and said, quiet enough for only me to hear, “Look it’s not that I doubt your abilities to teach twinkletoes how to firebend, but I know you do. If you find Zuko out there… well, I’ll have your back no matter what.” Toph’s surprisingly kind tone took me by surprise, and I wasn’t sure how to respond. “I’m going to assume by your silence that you’re smiling, but I wouldn’t know. I can’t see it.” Toph smiled at her own joke and it made me laugh.

“Thank you Toph. That means a lot to me.” The earthbender waved in response before bounding back to the others, excited to join their conversation.

“I hope she’s okay.” Katara’s voice is the last thing I hear as I climbed up on Appa, desperate for the night sky.


	3. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After an sudden burst of vulnerability, Draya leaves on a walk and runs into Zuko. Soft blurb, small flashback, mentions of war.

I walked with my nose in the sky, occasionally looking down at my feet to make sure I didn’t trip on anything. I carried around my makeshift torch, hoping nobody was out here to see it. I stopped in my tracks when I noticed a faint glow ahead of me, crouching as I listened for any voices or other signs of life. I debated walking away or approaching the light, curiosity getting the best of me.

As I got closer, I could hear the crackling of a fire and faint snores. I peaked around a tree to see Zuko, sound asleep on the ground. The prince looked so different asleep; his typically angry scowl was replaced with a soft, peaceful expression. Even earlier when he stopped by, he looked softer and acted kinder. Has he really changed after all? I mean, I’m a firebender, and they learned to trust me, right? I never tried to kill them, several times, but his apology sounded sincere. Something about the gentleness in his voice, the hesitation in his words made me believe they were genuine.

Maybe I just have a soft spot for him. When I was 9, the royal family decided to visit our village, for whatever reason. It was a brief visit, but it was enough to get everyone to gather around. I remember hearing the Fire Lord make a comment about wanting to leave as soon as possible, already sick of wasting his time here. I remember feeling angry and then feeling ashamed because he was right, this town was nothing special and even at my young age, I knew that. People behind me started pushing, yelling in excitement, and as I tried to get out of the way, I lost my balance and fell forward into someone. We tumbled into each other without falling and I looked over, apologies spilling out of my mouth as I regained my balance. That was the first time I looked into his glistening honey colored eyes. I remember the heat rising to my cheeks as I bowed.

“Prince Zuko, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to make you trip.” I was nervous of what would come next, knowing it wouldn’t compare to the humiliation already growing in my chest.

“I’m not my father, you don’t have to bow to me.” He smiled at me, easing the knot in my stomach.

“Yes, she does Zuzu, you’re the Heir Prince of the Fire Nation.” His sister, Princess Azula, chimed in matter-of-factly next to him. Queen Ursa walked over to see what was happening, smiling at me as she got closer.

“Hello. What’s your name?” The queen asked me, kindness dripping in her voice. I bowed before speaking.

“My name is Draya, your majesty.” I felt a sudden tight grip on my arm; I glanced over to see my mother had finally found me in the crowd. She bowed to the Queen while introducing herself, apologizing for my actions. Ursa gave my mother a smile before returning her attention to me.

“Are you alright, Draya? I am so sorry you were pushed in all this rowdy nonsense.” The Queens voice was soft and swift. I remember being shocked at her question, never having heard it from my own mother. Before I could respond, Fire Lord Ozai barked at his wife and son to catch up so they can carry on, Princess Azula already have sauntered off with boredom. I bowed once more as a goodbye and watched as they walked away, my heart skipping a beat when Zuko turned around to wave. It was in that moment that I realized the Fire Prince was my first crush. The next day was the day the Fire Nation army invaded, and my family was killed not long after that. I always wondered if that was the reason for the visit, a goodbye to the people in my village. Kind of like checking the harvest before burning the field to the ground, crops and all.

I was so lost in my memory and emotions that I didn’t realize the branch I was leaning on started to break, causing me to fall on the ground with a big thud. I scrambled to get back up as Zuko woke, sitting up in panic.

“Who’s there? Stay back.” I hear the sleepiness in Zuko’s voice, surprising me with the alertness in his firebending. I easily jump over the flame and into sight, the cool surprise on his face reassuring. He stood up and rubbed at the sleep on his face, not seeming to be on defense. Our eyes found each other for a second before I looked around, unable to meet his gaze. “What are you doing here? How did you find me?” He asked, no ounce of anger in his words. I shifted in place, realizing that I hadn’t thought about what I would say to him if I found him. Honestly, I never thought I would have to talk to him… again.

“I wasn’t exactly looking for you, I just came across your camp while I was out for a walk. It’s not like you’re far from the temple, anyway.” I finally said, my eyes never leaving the sky. I heard him shuffle and poke at the campfire. When I finally looked over, he was sitting on the floor. I took it as an invitation to join him, sitting on the opposite side of the fire. Neither of us spoke for a few minutes, and I was beginning to feel suffocated by the feeling of how bad of an idea this was.

“Draya, right?” He finally asked, my stomach flipping at the sound of my name ringing out in his voice. I gave one firm nod, unclear what else to say. He gave small soft nods, pausing for a bit before his next question. “So, you’re Aang’s firebending teacher?”

“No.” I say quickly, causing him to look at me with confusion. I sigh, weighing my words in my head. “I mean… I am a firebender, I just… don’t know how much more I can teach Aang. I don’t want to leave, especially after what just happened with the Fire Lord,” I notice him flinch at the mention of his father, “but I’m ready to keep traveling on my own. I’m no help to the Avatar anymore. He may not want to accept your help, but maybe they’ll listen to me. I’ll talk to everyone in the morning. Aang needs a firebending teacher, who’s a better fit than the Fire Nation Prince himself?” I hear Zuko scoff at my words, looking away.

“I was banished, remember? It’s just Zuko.” I smiled and shook my head.

“You’ll always be the Prince to me.” The color drained from my face when I realized I spoke out loud, hoping to have kept that thought in my head. I looked at Zuko, my eyes wide and my apology ready to pour out of my mouth before I was cut off by his voice.

“Have we met before?” He asked, a curious smile dancing across his face. “Something about you is really familiar, I just can’t figure out what.” As he’s mulling it over, I panic. I don’t want Prince Zuko to remember me for who I was, I don’t want him to tell the others. What would they think of me? I realize I have to say something, so I think fast.

“I doubt it, I grew up in a small village. Nothing much other than farming and sand.” I laugh, remembering the Fire Lord’s comment. He snapped his fingers and his smile grew.

“Yes! I remember your village; it was one of the only work trips father ever took us on. I literally ran into you!” I was ready to apologize for our run in when I realized what he said. I stared at him with disbelief.

“You remember that… you remember me? That was so long ago…” I trailed off, remembering the result of that visit a mere 12 hours after. I looked away as Zuko got up to sit closer to me, keeping some distance between us.

“I do. I remember because I asked my mother if we’d ever be able to visit again, and she told me about the invasion it suffered. I just figured everyone… I was only 10; it was hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that the village we just saw, the people we just met, were gone.” I found comfort and sadness in Zuko’s words, until a question came to mind.

“So, that day your family visited, you didn’t know your father was planning to invade and destroy my village?” I asked, realizing I assumed all these years that they all knew. Zuko’s expression was mixed with rage and grief.

“My mother always told me it was destroyed when earthbenders tried to invade and take control of your villages’ connections to the Fire Nation. ‘Lost when it was trying to be saved’ she said.” Zuko’s voice was small, so quiet I almost didn’t hear it. “If you would’ve told me a year ago my father did that, I wouldn’t have believed you. Now?” He shakes his head and turns to me, a question dancing on his lips. “Your family?” I stare at him, his eyes warmed by the fire. My breath caught in my throat, my head spinning with words I wanted to say, before I stood up as quickly as I could.

“I should go back, before everyone starts to worry. Like I said, I’ll talk to them. Come by tomorrow, okay?” I start to walk away before he has a chance to stand up and respond.

“Wait, Draya?” I turn around to look at Zuko, smiling.

“Goodnight, Prince Zuko.” I said, giving a quick bow before disappearing as fast as I could into the forest.


	4. I Remember

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draya realizes she has to leave, will she be able to make a smooth escape after Zuko makes a discovery?

I was pacing back and forth in a random hallway, dreading the conversation I had to have with my friends. I paused at the thought. Friends. I knew I had to do it sooner rather than later, and hopefully be done before Zuko showed up. I took a deep breath and made my way to the courtyard. I saw Aang and Toph earthbending, Katara watching from the side. She smiled and waved when she saw me.

“Draya, finally! Here for our daily training lessons?” She asked, hopping to her feet, probably hoping to spar, boredom clear on her face. A sad smile spread across my face as I shook my head. Noticing my expression, Aang told Toph he wanted to take a break.

“Is everything okay Draya?” He asked, concern in his voice. Sokka was already bounding over and I realized it was now or never. I rubbed my hands together, knowing I just had to get this over with as fast as I could.

“I know this is probably the worst time to do something like this, but when I first joined Team Avatar, we agreed that I could leave when I’m ready. I’ve been ready for a while now, I just never knew when the right moment to do it would be. I realized there would never be a right moment. Aang, I’m sorry, but I’ve taught you what I can. You should reconsider Zuko’s offer, he’s the only chance you have to stand up to Fire Lord Ozai.” My words came out so fast, I was surprised I didn’t have steam spilling out with them. I could see the different emotions dancing across my friends’ faces- confusion, anger, hurt. Aang opened his mouth to say something before he was interrupted by Toph.

“Your timing actually couldn’t be more perfect, firecracker.” I look over to see Zuko walking up behind everyone, the overwhelming urge to cry suddenly gone. Zuko caught my gaze first, a small smile on his face before he greeted everyone else, leaving Toph for last.

“I didn’t realize we were already on a nickname basis uhhh...” Zuko was drowned out by Sokka, angry confusion clear on his face.

“Toph was obviously talking to Draya, Zuko. We still don’t want you here.” He looked at him, never breaking his fighting stance.

“Aang needs his help, Sokka. If you want Aang to defeat the Fire Lord, he’ll have to stay.” I say, jumping in to Zuko’s defense. Aang looked between Zuko and I, holding my gaze before nodding his head.

“If you think Zuko should teach me, I believe you. It’s been an honor learning from you, Draya. I wish you the best on your journey.” Aang says softly, clear that he was trying to control the sadness in his voice. He bowed his head to me and turned to Zuko. “You can join us to teach me firebending. If Draya trusts you to teach me, I can learn to trust you too.” Aang bowed to Zuko before turning to his friends. Everyone reluctantly agreed, knowing they were running out of time. Katara walked up to me, even though I was avoiding everyone as best as I could. She hovered next to me before pulling me into a hug, catching me by surprise.

“I am going to miss you so much. It was nice having someone else other than Sokka around who’s close to my age. You’re like the firebending sister I never had.” She laughed, hugging me tighter. “I never thought I would say something like that.” I wrapped my arms around her and smiled.

“I’m going to miss you too, and everyone else, so much. You’ve all shown me nothing but kindness. Thank you.” I looked at the others, who have now gathered around to also say goodbye.

“Friends don’t have to say thank you. We did it because we care.” Sokka said, holding his arms open for a hug. When I pulled away, I saw Zuko’s expression and I could tell the wheels were turning in his head and he was trying to figure something out. My heart sank when his face lit up with recognition as he looked me in the eyes.

“Wait, Draya… I remember now. You were one of those children training with my fathers’ army, weren’t you? I… I remember training with a few of you once or twice before…” Zuko paused, his voice falling quiet as his face filled with regret when he noticed my panicked expression. He realized he said too much.

“Draya, what is Zuko talking about?” Aang asked, everyone looking at you with confusion. I shook my head, heat rushing to my face; I could feel the flames threatening to spill out of my palms.

“I- I don’t know. You’re confused Zuko… you’re wrong…” I said, backing away, trying to figure out a way out without the use of Appa. Tears filled my eyes as I started running, not sure where to go. I could hear everyone running after me, their footsteps heavy and voices calling out. I found a small space in the wall and crawled in, trying to control the tears now rushing down my face.

“She’s over here!” I hear Toph say, cursing her superior bending. I didn’t bother getting up to run, there was no point. I was out of options. Everyone gathered around me, and I was surprised to see Zuko sidle up next to me, apology dripping in his eyes before spilling out of his mouth.

“I’m sorry. Last night, I couldn’t remember where else I’ve seen you. I was just so surprised when I realized who you were that… I mean, what are the odds that we’ve ran into each other twice before?” Zuko said quietly, seeming to have forgotten our audience. Sokka cleared his throat before Katara sat next to me.

“What have you been keeping from us Draya?” She asked, sounding more concerned than angry. I took a deep breath and sighed, realizing I couldn’t hide everything from them anymore.

“When I met you guys, I wasn’t just running away from those guards because I stole some food… I couldn’t risk being caught by Fire Nation soldiers. I’ve been, successfully, trying to avoid them for years. I knew once I disappeared, they’d just think I died like the others. Fire Lord Ozai wanted to recruit smaller, younger benders to carry out some “simpler tasks” for him.” I looked over at Zuko, seeing a range of emotions on his face. “I was one of the first young firebenders they recruited, never letting me forget how… disposable I am. ‘Fire Lord Ozai wants to save his best soldiers for real war, you’re nothing but a distraction.’ As if I wanted to be involved with the war at all.” I scoff, shaking my head before continuing. “The idea was that they would send us in, with the plan for us to always get captured while the real soldiers took the opportunity to strike.” I choke out a sob, remembering everything we had to endure between trainings. “They taught me how to fight, sure. They also taught me how to be tortured, how no matter what happened to me I wasn’t to speak ill of the Fire Lord, give up his plan.” I didn’t want to say more, the pain in my voice slicing through the air. I felt Zuko’s body tense next to me before I felt his hand on my shoulder, giving a firm and reassuring squeeze. I reached up, grabbing his hand, and returning the gesture before looking over to give him a small smile. “I’m surprised you remember my face from the time we trained at the palace, there were just so many of us. The Fire Lord had asked the general who oversaw us at the time to take us to the palace to make sure we were getting proper training. I remember seeing Queen Ursa yelling at him, although I couldn’t make out anything she was saying. All I could remember was how… hurt she looked. I’m kind of happy they took us to the palace though because after that, I knew I had to find a way out.”

“Draya… If I knew you had such negative memories tied to your bending, I never would have asked you to relive it by teaching me.” Aang reached his hand out in solidarity, and I smiled as I reached for it. I shook my head.

“You had no way of knowing, I never talked about it. I never wanted to, and honestly I’m not sure if I ever want to.” I said, glancing at Zuko to make sure he understood I wasn’t just talking to Aang. A soft nod gave me his answer. “Besides, it’s not like I can avoid firebending forever just because of what happened. I was able to teach the Avatar how to fight Lord Ozai back, with his own army's training. That feels pretty positive to me.” I say, noticing the forced, almost reluctant chuckle that escaped Aang’s throat. After a long pause of silence, Sokka clasps his hands together.

“Well I think I can speak for everyone when I say you should stay with us, Draya. Why not have two firebenders on our side?” He smiled at me, hoping I would agree to his words. I opened my mouth to reply when I was cut off by Zuko.

“I’d be more than happy to teach you, too. Firebending to protect yourself as well as fight, not just as a weapon but as a tool.” Aang’s face lit up and he sprang with excitement.

“We can learn together! I can finally study with someone else again!” His arms wrap around me, his excitement clearly building, and I can’t help but laugh.

“Yea okay, I’ll stay.” I finally said, a smile spreading across my tear streaked face. Katara gave me one final hug before standing up, Zuko extending a hand to help me get back on my feet. I could feel the heat building in my palm as our skin touched and I felt my cheeks blush. I’ve never been happier to be hiding in the dark. We all made our way back to the courtyard, and I couldn’t help but sigh with content. I bought myself more time with my friends, knowing I still had to leave eventually.


	5. Wading Through Thoughts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draya storms off and Zuko decides to follow. Draya's realizing she can't hide in the shadows forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hii so I wanted to take a sec to explain something that I don't exactly explain in the fic itself, not clearly anyway. Most of this scene is set in water (as the name suggests) and I wanted to explain what Draya's wearing. I imagine Draya wearing a cross between the top Katara wears when bending in water with Aang and the top Mai wears in the beach episode (Mai's top but with straps) and shorts/skirt (???) similar to what Katara wears, like modern day legging shorts basically. LOL Zuko just looks like Zuko but the beach episode. This is just important for me to explain because I wanted it to be clear they're not just running around naked. Okay bye, enjoy!

I’ve always had a hard time separating my emotions from my firebending, and that especially became true with Zuko around. Since we were all so focused on Aang’s training, it seemed like there was never time to relax anymore. Things became particularly tense when Zuko started having trouble with his firebending, his flames becoming less and less visible the more he tried. I became so overwhelmed, having to step in as Zuko’s “co-teacher” and being “the flame to his bending” as Sokka would say (always earning him a swift kick in the shin), that eventually my firebending began to suffer too. An aggravated Zuko was trying to teach us a new move, at this point only being able to produce steam at his palms, which caused him to yell about my stance being wrong; Aang was, of course, able to copy him with ease and I became so upset I stormed off.

I figured the best thing I could do was find some water, a huge perk of training on land and not in the air temple, for a swim. Katara liked us to have what she called “bath night”, where she’d have Aang and Sokka pair off while Toph and I would pair off further upstream to, you know, bathe. Her and I would alternate with Toph, knowing the small earthbender needed baths more frequently, knowing she liked to have what she considered a "healthy coating of earth" on her skin. Katara can act like such a mother sometimes that I forget we’re close in age. I was always relieved when Katara would ask me to pair up with Toph, because with her around I always felt safer. Besides, she wouldn’t be able to ask questions like Katara would. I realized early on into my adventure with Team Avatar that being in the water helped calm my emotions in a way I never knew possible and I grew to love bath night.

I found a small alcove after walking for what felt like ages, a small waterfall adding to the privacy of the spot. I removed the top layer of my clothing, quickly washing and wringing the fabric out and hanging them up on a nearby branch before stepping into the water. I didn’t particularly like wearing long boots over my pants or that heavy robe, especially while training for hours on end, but I couldn’t let the others see the scars that riddled my torso, legs and arms. I had to wade through enough pity from them as it is, especially now.

I stood in the water, only about hip high, and shut my eyes taking deep breaths as I listened to the trickling falls. I started to move my hands in the air the way I’d seen Katara do a million times while practicing with Aang. I was gliding through the water, movement coinciding with my breaths, a cool glow from the flame growing in my hands, for what seemed like hours. I was so lost in thought that I almost melted Zuko’s face off.

“Draya?” My eyes shot open as I turned around, a ball of flame leaving my hand and flying towards Zuko. He was easily able to dodge it; it gave me enough time to scrabble behind the falling water, which was just big enough to hide behind.

“What are you doing here Zuko? I thought it was clear that I wanted to be alone.” I said, refusing to accept the fact that it would be impossible for him to have not seen the scars that showered my whole body. I could see Zuko’s warped image in the waterfall, barely making out his movements as he removed his shirt and flung it over the same branch my clothes were hanging on. I quickly turned my head, hearing some splashes before they stopped in front of the falls.

“You’ve been really upset lately, and I just wanted to make sure everything was okay. I know it’s… a lot, training the Avatar and-“

“I’m not training the Avatar, Zuko, you are, remember? I’m training _with_ the Avatar, alongside you. And I can’t even seem to do that right.” I tried to say the last part of the sentence to myself, but it was Zuko’s sigh that proved I failed to.

“You are a great student, and an even better teacher Draya. I just want you to feel okay with your bending again. It’s a part of who you are.” I laughed, the coldness even surprising me.

“I know what I am, Zuko. I’m a firebender. I’m a trained… distraction. A distraction of destruction.” I chuckled weakly, finding humor in the parallels of my life. “It’s not my bending I’m ashamed of. It’s…” I didn’t know how to finish that sentence. Zuko peered around the waterfall, his eyes never leaving my face.

“Can we sit over there and talk? Away from this outrageously loud water?” I smiled and nodded. I waited for Zuko to find a spot to sit, settling on a rock that was deep enough to hang his legs over. I crouched in the water, low enough to wrap my arms around my legs, and took a deep breath before submerging my head. I enjoyed the cool of the water washing over me, preparing myself, not ready to tell Zuko about my scars; quickly realizing how guilty I felt for being able to hide them in the first place. I stood up and waded towards Zuko, pausing in front of a rock a few feet away from him. “Waterbending moves? Someone must be taking notes during Katara’s lessons.” Zuko was looking away, clear he wasn’t sure what to do in that moment. I took that chance to pull myself up onto a rock next to him, crossing my legs and resting my hands in my lap. I looked up, relishing his side profile as he watched the cascading water a few feet away. His skin was glistening from the water as the sun hit us, and his feathery black hair looked as if it had fallen into place without any effort from him. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so… serene. He closed his eyes, as if he were soaking in the sun, and I looked down at my lap as I spoke.

“Once I started traveling with them, I would try some of her techniques and… I don’t know. If I could describe the way the fire felt in my hands when I’m in the water I would. It’s unlike anything else. It helps me feel in control of my bending, actually in control, when it starts feeling a little too overwhelming.” I had never said this out loud to anyone, and seeing Zuko relax as he sun bathed, seeing the soft expression he had, urged me to keep going. I opened my mouth to continue, quickly biting my lip to stop myself.

“Draya, it’s okay. You can talk to me.” The honey in his eyes have clearly seeped into his mouth, a sweet kindness trickling in his words. I took a deep breath as I watched Zuko open his eyes and turn his head to face me. I gazed at Zuko’s face as he noticed the scars that licked my skin, the stripes of red blending in together so well that it’s hard to make out where they begin and where they end. His once confused expression turned into a melancholy gaze of understanding, this time turning his face away to help hide his own scar with his dark hair. “The day you were going to leave, you said they taught you how to be… are those… did they…” Zuko’s voice trailed off as he spoke, anger and disgust contorting his once soft face.

“I’d have to fight them in training, one after the other without any breaks in between. If they were able to capture me, they were supposed to… pretend like they have to get information out of me about the army’s plan. Even if I never said a word, they’d use their bending against me.” A small, sad smile found its way to my lips as I stared at my marked arms, lifting them into the air in front of me. “Getting burned gives you a different appreciation of the bending art, actually realizing what these movements really do to someone else. Getting burned repeatedly, well… that appreciation can begin to morph.” I traced the scars on my left forearm lightly, realizing it’s been so long since I’ve really looked at them, before quickly crossing my arms and hugging my body as I brought my knees up to my chest.

“I’m sorry you had to suffer through that. I can’t even begin to imagine the pain you had to endure.” Zuko shifted on the rock he was sitting on and slid closer to me. It was clear on his face that he was considering what to say next, opening and closing his mouth slightly as he thought. I held my breath as I realized how close he suddenly was, looking at my own hands instead of him. “I’m beyond enraged that my father would make you… make anyone, suffer through something so…”, Zuko stopped talking as soon as his voice started wavering.

“My mother always said that firebenders did nothing but destroy. Destroy homes, destroy forests, destroy lives. She came from a family of firebenders, not a bender herself, and she always voiced her disgust for the art.” I can still hear my mothers voice ringing in my head, and I knew the only way I could make it stop was by saying it out loud, letting it escape. “She ran away from her family when she was 19, finding refuge in my home village after traveling for weeks. She met my father not long after, a Northern Water Tribe warrior sent to do… something. That part was never clear. Anyway, she used to say she would pray to the spirits that she would never have to carry a firebending child. She thought for certain that meeting my waterbending father was a sign they had heard her. ‘What a disappointment it was when you realized you could firebend.’” I felt a hot tear fall down my cheek, as my mother’s words hung in the air. I quickly wiped it away with the back of my hand and tried to laugh, realizing I’ve never told anyone this before. “All my life the only thing I wanted was for her to love me, to accept me as I was… her daughter, a firebender.” I watched as Zuko listened to my words, watching the rippling water as I spoke.

“It was cruel and wrong what your mother said to you, even worse how she treated you. After what my father put you through, it’s easy to understand why you feel the way you do about firebending.” His hand fell into the water, and I could see him scooping it up and pouring it out, repeatedly. It was obvious he was nervous to say what he wanted to next. I waited, holding my breath, until Zuko spoke. “My father gave me this scar, shortly after your general left the palace with your group, actually. He challenged me to an Agni kai for speaking out of turn during a military meeting that I begged my uncle to let me sit in on, and the only reason he agreed was because I promised I’d stay quiet. But how could I say nothing when the General was talking about sacrificing an entire division, as a distraction, all because they were new…” As Zuko realized what he was saying, he quickly turned to face me. “I’d stand up to him a thousand times over if it meant stopping him from trying to use new recruits as bait. It didn’t stop him, but that doesn’t mean I won’t keep trying.” He started to reach his hand out towards me, hesitating before bringing it back to his side and dropping it in his lap. “Growing up we learned that the Fire Nation was the greatest civilization in history, and those soldiers loved and defended our great nation. The same great nation that was planning their murders.”

“ _I_ wasn’t a soldier, Zuko. I was just a kid whose village was invaded and burnt down; a kid who had to train with the same Fire Nation army that kidnapped me so I could pretend to be some twisted version of a soldier. I spent years training in private with Fire Nation soldiers, traveling from city to city as their prisoner, doing what they called training; years before they even considered putting me into the war. I wasn’t a tool for them, Zuko. I was just a toy. A shiny, distracting toy. And I endured burns every day as a reminder, wishing they were planning our murder instead of just our torture day in and day out.” I remember the other kidnapped children who trained next to me, some lasting longer than others, no more remaining from my village after long.

“After Aang defeats the Fire Lord, and we take down Azula, everything will regain balance. We can build a better world, one without the dark and painful tactics of the past. We as a nation need to learn from our mistakes and educate others to do better. And, Draya?” Zuko pauses, finally getting the courage to grab my hand, holding it tight in his. I looked up to find his golden eyes already looking at me. “You’re safe now. Nobody will hurt you again. And my father will pay.” He squeezed my hand when he finished his sentence and I felt a wave of relief flood over me. I couldn’t find the right words, so instead I pulled Zuko close, hugging him tighter than I’ve ever hugged any one before.

“Thank you, Zuko. It’s clear just how genuine your heart is, and I’m so glad to call you a friend.” His arms tightened around me before letting go, smiling down at me. He asked if I could show him some of Katara’s waterbending, so we spent the rest of our time talking while we waded through the water. It was surprisingly the most comfortable I’ve ever felt around him; I finally felt like I belonged somewhere.


	6. Friendship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is essentially a filler; it takes place during The Firebending Masters and the beginning of The Boiling Rock episode (Zuko and Sokka don't return until the next chapter). Still included a cute little friendship blurb between Katara and Draya.

The day after Zuko and I talked in the alcove, he and Aang decided it was time to get to the bottom of Zuko’s disappearing bending. Toph suggested they look for the original firebenders, which led them to travel to Ancient Sun Warrior ruins in search of an answer. I begged them to let me join them, aching to learn more about firebending firsthand, but Zuko insisted it had to be the two of them.

“You were lucky to find a way to coax your firebending out when it’s being stubborn. I won’t find an answer in water.” Zuko and I walked next to each other towards Appa, not wanting him leave without saying goodbye. I sighed before nodding.

“I understand, it is your destiny to help the Avatar after all. For your honor!” I imitated Zuko when I said the last bit, throwing my fist in the air for dramatic effect. He rolled his eyes and laughed, smiling down at me.

“My uncle once told me ‘Destiny is a funny thing. You never know how things are going to work out, but if you keep an open mind and an open heart, I promise you will find your own destiny someday.’ We were actually here, in this Air temple, when he told me that. It was right after the Agni Kai when I first got banished. I still had the bandage on, and I was sure my destiny to capture the Avatar. When we lived in Ba Sing Se, he told me to ask myself ‘Who are you, and what do you want?’ and at the time I wasn’t sure. Maybe, I’m still not sure.” He chuckled and shakes his head. “All I know, is this is much better than any destiny I could’ve wished for.” He gestured to our friends before meeting my gaze, a soft smile dancing on his lips as he grabbed one of my hands. “I’m much happier than I thought possible.” I felt the heat rush to my cheeks as I heard Sokka clear his throat behind us.

“I hate to break it to ya D, but your boyfriend has to leave with Aang soon if they want to get back in time to stay on schedule.” Zuko dropped my hand and we shuffled apart slightly, Zuko chuckling as he rubbed the back of his neck.

“For the last time Sokka, he’s not my boyfriend. It’s just nice to have another firebender on my side for once, something I know we all relate to.” Before I step away from Zuko, I turned to him. “Your uncle would be proud of you for finding your own destiny, and you can tell him all about it when we find him. Now go get your firebending in check, I miss having a firebending sparring partner. No offense Aang.” I say, looking over at Aang as he shrugged.

“I wouldn’t want to fight you even if we were just sparring, Draya. Now let’s go, Zuko!” Aang burst himself up on Appa’s back with an explosion of air as Zuko climbed up the side. Zuko looked over and gave me a small wave as the monk boy yelled “yip, yip!” and they were off.

“Don’t worry, your boyfriend will be back soon.” Sokka said, sliding up next to me. I sent a little burst of flames to his feet and he yelped, hopping up into the air. “No firebending Draya, it’s not fair!” I laughed as I walked away, hoping Aang and Zuko find what they’re looking for.

__________________________________________________________________________________

When they got back, they were so excited to show us the newest firebending form they learned while exploring the ruins. We watched as they posed and formed a circle together, Katara and Sokka teasing them relentlessly at their “new dance”.

“It’s a sacred form that happens to be thousands of years old.” Zuko said, obviously annoyed at the Water Tribe siblings’ antics.

“Oh yea? What’s your little form called?” Katara asked, mock dripping in her voice. I had to cover my mouth with my hand to help from laughing out loud when I saw Zuko’s angry face shift to one of slight embarrassment.

“The Dancing Dragon…” the other 3 started laughing, Toph and Sokka bouncing jokes off each other. I walked over to Zuko, who was mumbling angrily to himself. He stopped to look over at me, smiling softly with a sigh of relief.

“I’d love to learn this new firebending form, it looks like it could be useful...” I started, before being interrupted by a giggling Sokka.

“Yea, at your wedding!” he said, walking up behind me and slapping his palm on my shoulder. Zuko’s smile fell into an annoyed scowl as I rolled my eyes.

“First you call him my boyfriend, which he’s not, and now we’re getting married? Excuse me for wanting to learn an ancient firebending form. You wouldn’t understand, boomerang guy.” I said, crossing my arms across my chest as I turned to face Sokka, who was defensively yelling about his sword wielding. I knew he was a good fighter; it was just so fun to get him worked up sometimes.

The next night, Zuko tried to make tea for us around a fire. I watched as he walked over to Sokka, offering him a cup. The Water Tribe boy spoke to Zuko in a hushed tone, and I watched as they walked away. I wondered where they went off to, quickly forgetting about it when Toph sent a wave of rocks underneath me to get my attention. Sokka appeared before Zuko did, not too far behind him. Sokka give a rushed goodnight before stuffing his body into his sleeping bag, the others following suit after him. Zuko helped me clean up our mess a bit, putting out the fire, neither of us finding anything to say. I turned to face him, walking close enough so that only he could hear my words.

“Is Sokka okay? He seemed moody all afternoon and right now he seemed almost annoyed about something.” I searched Zuko’s face for any sign of emotion, hoping to figure out his answer before he said anything.

“He’s okay, just feeling overwhelmed. You know how Sokka gets.” He shrugged, his tone not at all convincing. Realizing I wouldn’t get more out of him, I nodded and wrapped my arms around his torso. His familiar warm scent made the hug even more comforting as he wrapped his strong arms around me.

“Good night, Zuko.” I said, stepping back and walking towards my sleeping bag.

“Good night, Draya.” He replied, smiling back at me as he continued to mess about with the fire. The expression he had on his face stuck with me, a mixture of concern and contemplation. It shouldn’t have surprised me when we woke up the next morning to find Zuko and Sokka gone, some less than convincing note left behind.

“Need meat. Gone fishing. Back in a few days. -Sokka and Zuko. One more thing. Aang, practice your firebending while I’m gone. Do 20 sets of fire fists and 10 hop squats every time you hear a badger frog croak. -Zuko”. A badger frog croaked right after Katara read the letter, earning an exasperated sign from Aang.

“Draya doesn’t have any firebending homework.” He said, starting his set of hop squats. I laughed slightly and shrugged.

“I’m not training to be the Avatar.”

__________________________________________________________________________________

I was stretching in the sun, the heat wrapping around my body, as I got lost in my thoughts about what Zuko and Sokka could be getting up to. Katara pulled me from them as she called out my name to get my attention, motioning with her hand to go over. We walked towards each other and I couldn’t read the expression on her face. Annoyance?

“Is everything okay Katara?” I asked, not sure what her expression meant. She shook her head in shock and scoffed, crossing her arms.

“You’re asking me if everything’s okay, when you’re the one who’s basically been avoiding us since my brother left with Zuko?” I could tell she was trying to control the emotion in her voice. I sighed and shifted in place.

“I didn’t realize I was avoiding everyone, I guess I’ve just been so lost in my thoughts and my training… I’m sorry.” I said as casually as possible, not wanting to go into much more detail. Her face softened before suddenly turning into a playful grin.

“I see the way you look at Zuko, even though I question your judgement a little considering he’s such a jerk; is that what this is about? You like him and you’re sad he’s not here?” I looked at her, hoping my face showed just how confused I was. She laughed a little before continuing. “You guys did disappear for a while the other night…”, she waved her hand in front of her body before crossing her arms as she looked at me, obviously wanting an answer. I laughed a little, shocked at the quick change in her tone from angry to lighthearted teasing.

“There’s nothing going on with Zuko, he’s my friend. Just like you, Sokka, Aang, and Toph. The other day, he was just there for me in a way nobody else ever has been. You know you’re one of the best friends I’ve ever had, one of the only ones really. Having Zuko around, finally another firebender who shares my view of the Fire Nation, has been indescribable. A feeling I’ve never had, not even with my own family.” I shrugged, smiling as I realized I could give her something a little more exciting; something I hoped would make up for the fact that I’ve been accidentally avoiding them. “He was my first crush though, when I was 9. I’d only met him once, and it was brief, but… I remember it clearly. My life changed a lot pretty suddenly after we met, so I forgot about my silly crush pretty fast.” I finally looked over at Katara, whose wide eyes lit up as she giddily brought her hands up to her face.

“I knew it! A childhood crush is still a crush, Draya. Look, I don’t want to encourage a relationship with someone so untrustworthy, I mean I really think you can do better than someone who’s been so unreliable in the past. But, you two do look happy when you’re together. It’s safe to say he probably has a little crush on you too.” It was my turn to look at her with wide eyes as I scoffed at the idea, shaking my head.

“Katara, we have much bigger things to worry about then childhood crushes. Like defeating the Firelord, you know, to save the world?” We both laughed and I felt the tension in the air dissolve. I realized it was wrong to shut my friends out like this, seeing Katara’s kind expression as she smiled at me.

“Yes now, but you’re still human Draya. I’m just saying, you should follow those feelings. Or at the very least tell him, because… there’s no saying what’s going to happen the day of Sozin’s comet. Be honest with him sooner rather than later.” I nodded, knowing Katara was right. It’s not like I was going to listen to her advice, I can’t imagine telling Zuko he was my childhood crush. That doesn’t mean that I can’t enjoy his company now, before everything changes, and we have to accept our futures. I smirk and turn to her, crossing my arms.

“What about you? Do you have a little crush on anyone you’re thinking about talking to before the comet?” Katara’s smile dropped as a blush crept its way onto her face, and she looked away as she played with her hair.

“What? No. What makes you say that? I think you’re right, we have bigger things to worry about right now. I just thought since Zuko’s here with us right now, you should take advantage of that because it’s not like he hasn’t betrayed us before...” Her voice became quieter as she spoke, and I could tell by the way she was looking everywhere but towards me that she hadn’t said it as quietly as she hoped. I sighed before replying.

“You’re right, I just don’t think Zuko’s going to do that this time. He really wants to help Aang, he wants to help take down his father so the Fire Nation can finally be saved from his immoral ruling. He really has changed Katara, and he’s actually very kind. I hope maybe you can see that too, one day.” Katara rolled her eyes and breezed by my statement, locking an arm through mine as she stood up and guided me back towards the others, rambling on about not being afraid to talk to them in the future. I smiled as she spoke, happy that I admitted to someone how I felt about Zuko, even if I never told him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this chapter was short, most of them have been, but the next few are considerably longer.


	7. Opening Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draya's nervous with the upcoming comet, and Sokka's just happy to have Suki back. Draya storms out in an emotional huff and Zuko follows to see if Draya's okay.

Zuko and Sokka returned a few days later, riding in on a Fire Nation blimp instead of Zuko’s war balloon. It turns out they snuck into a Fire Nation prison because Sokka wanted to find his father. They returned with Hakoda, a Kyoshi Warrior named Suki and another prisoner who just so happened to hear about their plan.

We were all sitting around a fire that night as everyone caught up, the air light. I got up from my spot next to Toph and walked over to where Zuko was sitting alone. He smiled at me as I sat down next to him and I gave him a playful swat on his arm.

“Ow! What was that for?” He asked chuckling, rubbing the spot I just hit.

“What was that for?! I asked if Sokka was okay, you told me he was, and then you guys just disappear for days after leaving a weird note behind. Which, by the way, was not believable.” He shrugged with a small smile on his face.

“I knew Sokka was going to try and do something reckless, I had to go with him. No one deserves to fight alone.” I smiled at him before looking away, feeling the blush creep on my face, hoping he wouldn’t see.

“I’m glad Sokka has you.” I motioned to Suki, who was sitting cozily next to Sokka. If it weren’t so dark, I’m sure we’d all see Sokka’s pink cheeks as he fawned over her. “Of course, Sokka would run into an old flame, even in a Fire Nation prison.” I shook my head with amusement and saw a shift in Zuko’s demeanor. “Did you run into anyone?” I asked, not sure what made him tense up. All I got was a shrug.

“Azula was there, that blimp was hers actually. She brought… her friends with her to fight. I haven’t seen my sister since the day of Black Sun.” He said, his hesitation when mentioning his sisters’ helpers obvious. Unsure what to make of it, I reached out and gave his upper arm a reassuring squeeze.

“It must have been hard to see your sister, I’m glad everyone made it out okay.” He smiled at me after sighing, relief clear on his face.

“I’m just happy to be back here, with you.” I looked down at my lap, blushing at his words. If this wasn’t a clear sign that Katara was right, and Zuko has feelings for me too, then I’d never understand boys. I knew I had to tell him how I feel, just to get it off my chest. I decided to wait until he got some rest; I’m sure sneaking into a Fire Nation prison is exhausting.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Sokka insisted we relax for a few days, to balance out the few days they were in the prison, saying how it was the “only way” to get “back into fighting shape”. I knew he just wanted to catch up with Suki after not seeing her for months, and I get it. It didn’t stop me from feeling annoyed though, knowing Sozin’s comet was getting closer.

“When are we going to get back to training and, oh I don’t know, planning what we’re going to do when Aang has to face the Firelord?” I finally decided to ask one day, annoyance clear in my voice. Sokka and Suki were sitting up against the fountain in the courtyard as the others milled around, all content with doing their own thing for a bit. Sokka turned away from Suki, giving me the strangest version of what I think was supposed to be a sympathetic look.

“Draya, relax. With Suki and-“

“Yes, we know that your girlfriend is an incredible warrior, and I would love to learn from her, which is why I’m wondering when we’re going to start training and planning again. Your dad is here Sokka, we could have half of our plan thought through already!” I didn’t realize how animated I became while I spoke, having to catch my breath when I was done.

“Maybe she’s right, Sokka. We should be doing something more… productive.” Suki said, offering me a soft smile. I returned it along with a soft nod, thankful she agrees.

“No Suki, it’s okay. I know what this is really about.” Sokka said, turning his attention to me. At this point, the others were quiet and listening to our conversation. I could see Katara glancing between her brother and I, waiting to put out any fire (real or metaphorical). Zuko walked closer to us, having missed the beginning part of the conversation but obviously noticing my aggravation, confusion clear on his face. A mischievous smile crept on my face as I crossed my arms over my chest, ready to hear what Sokka said next.

“Oh really? You mean it’s not about me wanting to do something more productive then sit around and flirt all day?” I asked, directing all my attention to Sokka, hoping Suki would know I wasn’t intending to insult her. He stood up and walked over to me, amusement dripping in his laughter.

“Oh Draya. Draya, Draya, Draya. This is clearly because you’re jealous. You’re jealous that you and your firebending prince boyfriend can’t sit around ‘flirting’ all day because you think he still might have feelings for his Fire Nation ex.” As soon as the words escaped his mouth, my smug expression dropped, being replaced by confusion. I saw Sokka recoil as he realized what he said, after Suki smacked his leg. I looked back at Zuko, hoping I didn’t look as hurt as I felt. His eyes, for once, weren’t already looking back at me; instead, they searched the floor beneath him. I felt my face contort into anger, turning to face Sokka again.

“For the last time Sokka, he is not my boyfriend.” A burst of flames escaped my palms as I spoke, emphasizing my anger. “Even if he was, at least he didn’t turn into the moon.” Sokka’s expression quickly became pained, making me regret the words as soon as I said them. It was a low blow, and I knew it. I turned around and, before marching away, I said “I knew I should have left when I had the chance.” I held my head up while I grabbed my bag, shoving my sleeping bag messily inside, and started to run off without a plan.

I had found an empty staircase in the temple after running for what felt like forever, and it seemed to crawl up the side of the mountain. I looked up the never-ending steps and sighed. I sat down on the bottom step, finally allowing my shoulders to drop and the tears to spill out of my eyes. It was almost infuriating how miserable Sokka’s words made me feel; I mean it’s not like there was anything to be jealous about. Zuko and I, we’d only ever just be friends and I knew that.

The thing was, in all the conversations we’ve had since the day in the alcove, Zuko never mentioned having an ex-girlfriend. Not once. He told me about his family; his mother, the way his father and sister treated him, how wonderful of a man his uncle is. But never a mention of an ex-girlfriend, or even an ex-flame. I rolled my eyes with a laugh as I wiped at my tears with the back of my hand. It had to have been one of Azula’s friends, his weird pause from our previous conversation finally making sense. He probably grew up with her, having long history together that I could never compete with. I was so lost in my spiral of thoughts that I didn’t hear Zuko walk up until he cleared his throat. I looked up at him, mustering the best neutral expression I could with tears streaking my cheeks.

“Draya, I-“, Zuko started as he stepped closer, the cold daggers in my gaze making him stop in his tracks. “I’m sorry. I should have been the one to tell you about my ex-girlfriend.” His words made me laugh, dripping with more cynicism than amusement.

“There’s nothing you have to tell me Zuko. We’re just friends, you don’t owe me an explanation.” My wave of sadness has been consumed by anger, not knowing who exactly I was angry at. Zuko? Sokka? Myself? I turned my body away from him, and I could hear his quick movements getting closer. He gave out a huff as he sat on the steps near me, staying quiet for a long time. I was about to stand up and leave when he decided to speak.

“Her name is Mai, she’s friends with Azula. Her and another one of their friends, Ty Lee, used to hang out at the palace a lot when we were young. I really thought I liked her, and I do. I’ll always care about Mai as a friend.” He kept his tone even, voice soft, as he spoke. I hesitated before turning my body to face him, his head hanging while his fluffy black hair covered his face. He was gripping his hands so hard; his knuckles were starting to turn white. I could tell how nervous he was to open up, I knew I had to say something.

“Zuko, thank you for telling me about her. You really don’t have to explain yourself, though. My anger back there was… dramatic. And mainly directed towards Sokka’s big mouth.” My gaze never left his face as I spoke, hoping he would look up at me. His grip loosened and he shifted his body, so he was completely facing me before looking up. I felt my heart jump to my throat at the sight of his gentle eyes, giving him a soft smile. He held my gaze, the sincerity clear on his face. He sighed, running a hand through his hair.

“After Azula tricked me into thinking my father had changed his mind, Mai and I reconnected. We soon became close and it felt comfortable having someone I was so familiar with around, someone that didn’t hate me. Before I left, I knew I had to break things off with her. Everyone thought I was a traitor; I couldn’t drag her into it. While in the prison, I was caught and given my own cell as an actual prisoner. Her uncle is the warden, so she found me. She was upset that I only left a letter-”

“A letter Zuko? Really? You cannot make this a habit.” I say, trying not to laugh. He smiled slightly.

“I know, I know. Anyway, I told her I was sorry, and how great it was to have her around when I returned to the Fire Nation. She was probably the best friend I had there, really. She told me I was betraying my country; she didn’t understand that when I broke up with her it was so that I could leave to help save the Fire Nation, not to hurt her. I knew she would never be able to understand, and I told her that things would never work between her and I.” His free hand hovered up to my face, his palm getting close enough that I could feel the heat coming from it before he dropped it to grab my hand instead. We just stared at each other for a few beats, savoring every bit of this moment. The sun was hitting his golden eyes, the color dancing the same way a breathing flame does. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Mai.”

“Zuko. Really. It’s okay. I’m not mad at you. I’m… not even mad at Sokka. I should be the one apologizing to him right now. It’s just… when you disappeared with Sokka, I was so worried that I’d never see you again and it broke my heart knowing that I never told you how I feel out of fear… fear that I’d lose the one person who’s helped me realize what actually belonging feels like. I care about you Zuko, in a way that I’ve never cared about anyone else, and that scares me. Everyone I’ve ever known is gone, anyone I cared about…” I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, preparing myself for what I was going to tell him next. Zuko noticed how nervous I was, squeezing my hand.

“Take your time Draya, it’s okay.” His soft smile gave me the courage to go on. I gave a soft nod, shifting my gaze from Zuko to a small, stray tree swaying on the cliffside.

“I didn’t just lose my mother the day my village was raided. She married a farmer when I was a baby, and not soon after… I had a younger brother; his name was Kin. He was only 2 years younger than me. Growing up, all I’d hear is how much my mother loved the fact that Kin was ‘just like her’, that she finally had a ‘good’ child, a child who didn’t bend fire. It made me resent him, even when he proved that he was nothing like our mother. Kin was kind, sweet, and so funny.” I laughed, surprised when I felt tears I hadn’t known were there fall from my eyes. I wiped at them with the back of my hand, shaking my head. “The morning of the raid, we had gotten into a stupid argument. I told him that I wished he were never born. I hurt him so much that he ran out of the house, and I didn’t go looking for him. That was the last thing I said to him before… I was hoping I’d see him with the other children, praying to the spirits that he was kidnapped too. Maybe then I could protect him, make up for all the times I wasn’t there for him before. Tell him that it wasn’t true, I was so happy he was my little brother.” I looked down at my hand that was still being held by Zuko, not bothering to wipe at the tears that were now steadily falling. He dropped my hand to wrap his arms around me, using one hand to cradle the back of my head. I wrapped my arms around his torso and laid my head on his chest.

“Draya, I am so sorry you’ve been carrying that with you. You don’t have to say it out loud; I feel it in the way you speak, how you act. I haven’t known you nearly as long as your brother did, and if I can see how clearly you care for others, I know he felt it. You can’t hold on to that forever Draya, it’ll eat you alive.” Both of his arms were wrapped tightly around me, his head now resting on top of mine.

“I was awful to him Zuko. I knew the years of pain I endured was karma for how I treated him. All he wanted was for his big sister to play with him, to plant in the garden with him, to love him. And I always refused. I should have been there for him. I should have looked for him. Not even for my baby brother could I stand up to my mom, if only to her words already in my head.” I buried my face into the front of his robe, hating the fact that I was opening up so much. I couldn’t stop.

“What you went through was cruel, and nobody’s fault but my fathers, not karma. You’re one of the most brave, resilient, and caring people I know. Your past doesn’t define you, or your future.” His tone was kind, sincere.

“It sounds like someone has been listening to their uncle’s advice.” I mumbled into his chest, refusing to move from our embrace. I felt a light rumble in his chest as he chuckled, leaning back to look at me. He grabbed my face with both of his hands, palms resting on my cheeks and thumbs gently wiping away my tears. “Thank you for always listening, Zuko. I’m happy I met you.” I smiled, placing my right hand on top of his, leaning my face into his warm palm.

“I will always be here for you. I care about you, Draya.” He smiled, dropping his hands and wrapping one around my shoulders. We sat there for a while before Zuko stood up. “Ready to go back with the others?” He asked, and I sighed as he held out a hand. I took it, standing up next to him and grabbing my bag that was still sitting on the stairs. We walked silently back to the courtyard where the others were now sitting in front of a fire. As soon as he saw me, Sokka stood up and ran over to me, throwing his arms around my body. I stumbled back a bit from the impact, but that didn’t seem to faze him as he hugged me tight.

“Draya! Thank the spirits Zuko found you. I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. I’ll stop calling him your boyfriend, just please don’t leave! We can’t afford to lose anyone else.” He leaned away; his face covered in a sad apology. I just smiled at him.

“It’s okay, Sokka. I’m the one who should be saying sorry, I shouldn’t have said… what I said. You know I respect her, and you. I’m sorry.” He shrugged in response before smiling and wrapping an arm around me, leading us back to the others. We enjoyed the rest of the night around the fire, Sokka promising we’d get back to serious business tomorrow. I absorbed the feeling of being surrounded by my friends and smiled. I knew that no matter how much we planned, we’d probably never be ready for the future. I shake the thought away, not wanting the thought of Sozin’s comet to ruin an already salvaged night once again.


	8. You're Friends, Right?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Gaang seems to think Katara and Draya are best friends, are they?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apparently I love Draya and Katara content as much as I love Draya and Zuko content. Plus a little Aang and Draya friendship blurb!

The next morning, we were woken up by explosions. I remember feeling the ground rumble before hearing the first blast, shooting up in my sleeping bag and looking at the others who had similar expressions on their faces. Aang was already in the air, airbending the bombs away before shutting huge panels that surrounded the courtyard. Toph and Haru, another earthbending friend of the Gaang, created a tunnel and quickly ushered us all inside. I turn to run into the tunnel before I stop, turning back to scan the room for Zuko. Aang asked him what he was doing before I could and as Zuko finished his thought, I ran up to him.

“You’re not facing them alone.” I said, quickly grabbing his arm before he could run off. He swiftly snapped his arm out of my grasp as he turned to me.

“Draya, we don’t have time. Go. I would never forgive myself if Azula hurt you. I can deal with her on my own.” Before I had time to react, he ran off, jumping through the now crumbling panels. Almost in unison, Aang and I yell out for him as Katara and Sokka remind us that time is not on our side. The temple around us was coming down and we had to get out, now or not at all.

My mind was racing as I stood with the group, too busy thinking about what could happen out there with Azula. Was is even actually her, or just some Fire Nation soldiers? I was snapped out of my thoughts as Katara suddenly yelled. We had to split the group up, Team Avatar plus Suki and Hakoda with the others. Aang couldn’t get Appa to go into the tunnel, and this was the only way out. Katara and Sokka hug their dad, sadness clear on their faces as they had to say goodbye again so soon. Appa flew through the air, protected by a rock shield courtesy of Toph and as soon as she broke it, my eyes scanned the area for any sign of Zuko. I held my breath until I saw him floating up on an airship, letting out a small sigh of relief. We watched as Zuko and Azula fought on one of the airships, fire and lightening flying in every direction. I sat on my knees, sitting as high up on the flying air bison as I could without fear of falling; I wasn’t going to lose sight of Zuko. In one swift movement, they caused an explosion that made them both fly back.

“Come on Zuko.” I say quietly to myself, praying to the spirits that he was okay. Azula tumbled over one side clumsily, Zuko rolled down the other and fell headfirst. Aang flew Appa underneath his body and I sat up, preparing myself to help Zuko fall into the saddle. As he got closer, we made quick eye contact, both holding out one hand. He grabbed my hand and flipped over my body, never letting go as he lands and sits up next to me.

“She’s not gonna make it.” Zuko says as we all watch Azula fall through the air before she shot out lightening from her feet to boost herself closer to the mountain. She slid down the side, holding herself in place and watched as we flew away. “Of course she did.”

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We found a spot to set up camp for the night, enjoying how it felt now, being just us again after so long. As we were laughing at Sokka’s toast to Zuko for holding off his sister and her soldiers, Katara stormed off. Zuko walked off after her and we all just watched, unsure what was wrong with either of them. When Katara and Zuko returned, the others and I had already put the fire out and dispersed for the night. Katara went straight to her tent, and I just looked at Zuko, who sat next to the smoldering fire pit, letting out a huff.

“Everything okay?” I asked, taking a seat next to him. He chuckled, shaking his head.

“With me or Katara?” I just stared at him in response, scooting closer and giving his arm a reassuring squeeze. He smiled, laying his hand on top of mine and returning the gesture. He was quiet for a few beats before speaking, as if he wasn’t sure what to say. “She’s your best friend, right? Do you know why she hates me so much?” It was my turn to chuckle and shake my head.

“I mean, you did chase and terrorize them for a few months. I’m sure that probably has something to do with it.” I said, as lightly as I could. I felt his body tense next to me and, before he could remove his hand from my arm, I place my free hand on top of it as I turned to face him. “She doesn’t hate you, Zuko. She just doesn’t trust you, and it makes sense why. She’ll come around.” He barely let the last words escape my mouth before he spoke again.

“Has she ever told you what happened to her mother?” I looked at him with wide eyes, shocked by his question.

“Only that they lost her during a Fire Nation raid. I don’t think she likes to talk about it in detail too much.” I say, not knowing what else to tell him. He quickly stood up, letting my hands drop back into my lap.

“Do you know where Sokka is?” He looked down at me, and I wasn’t sure what he was thinking. I stood up next to him and bit my lip as I thought about what I was going to say next. I’ve seen this expression, the night before he and Sokka went to the Boiling Rock prison.

“I think he went to bed Zuko, and maybe it’s for the best. We should all just go to sleep before doing anything impulsive, we’ve had a long day.” His expression went from one of preparing to annoyance.

“You don’t get it. They all trust you; she trusts you. I won’t feel like I belong here until she can trust me too.” He stormed off towards Sokka’s tent. His sharp tone stunned me, and I wasn’t sure how to feel about his sudden explosion. I decided to deal with it tomorrow, going to my tent for the night, hoping his anger probably wasn’t directed towards me.

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The next morning, I was sitting with Sokka and we kept Aang company as he fed Appa when Katara approached him and told him she needed to borrow the flying bison. Aang tried to make a joke before realizing how serious Katara was. I held my gaze on Zuko, who was walking behind her and refusing to look anywhere else but Aang. They got into an emotional debate about closure, about revenge, emotions running high. Aang was trying to convince Katara to forgive the man who killed her mother while Katara insisted it was impossible. Sokka, Aang and I waited next to Appa that night, catching Zuko and Katara trying to sneak away. Aang tried to convince Katara to choose forgiveness, one last time.

“Aang’s right, Katara. Whatever ends up happening, I hope you find what you need.” I say, shooting one final glance at Zuko as he retorted back before they flew off. We stood there and looked up at the sky, Sokka walking to his tent with a yawn. Aang and I continued to stand there, even after they were long out of sight. Aang let out a deep sigh. I reached out and put my arm around his shoulder, Aang returning the halfhearted hug with one arm.

“They’ll do the right thing. I know they will.” He said, his voice tinged with a hint of melancholy.

“I just hope they’re okay.” I say with a sigh, dropping my arm and walking back to the campsite with Aang. We walked back to our tents, knowing there was nothing else we could do. I laid in my sleeping back that night, staring at makeshift tent above me as I thought about Katara and Zuko. Their little fieldtrip will either bring them closer together, which would be great, or it’s going to drive a deeper wedge between them. I know Zuko is just trying to get on her good side, but something about Katara’s demeanor before they left is making me worry. My thoughts kept spiraling around until I fell asleep, listening to the ocean waves and winds surrounding us.

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While Katara and Zuko were gone, the others and I weren’t sure what to do. Sokka, Suki and Toph took this chance to relax, Toph mentioning how it’s easier to do without “Mother Katara” around. I was sitting with my back against a big rock, away from the others while still being close enough to hear their chattering and watching the clouds, when Aang came over to me. I smiled at him and pat the grass next to me. He plopped down with a heavy sigh and looked up at the sky.

“Don’t you think that cloud looks like a turtleduck?” I asked, pointed to a shapeless white blob, not sure what was on his mind and not sure what else to say. Aang just sighed in response, causing me to turn my body towards him. “Aang, what’s wrong? You can talk to me.” I say, in the softest tone I can muster. He rubs the back of his neck with one hand before turning to face me.

“Do you want to do some firebending training with me?” He asked, clearly not wanting to talk about what was really bothering him. I offered him a small smile before nodding and getting up.

“Only if you promise you’ll talk to someone, even if it’s not me. Something is obviously bothering you Aang. You don’t have to deal with it alone. We’re all here for you.” I place an arm on his shoulder and he smiled at me, returning the gesture.

“Thank you Draya. Maybe after some training I’ll feel ready to talk.” He said, and in one swift movement we wrapped our arms around the others’ shoulders and walked until we found a good place to firebend without destroying greenery. We moved side by side for a while, working on moves that Zuko’s taught us. Aang even walked me through some of the forms for the Dancing Dragon, something Zuko hasn’t had a chance to do yet. It was almost sunset when we decided to stop, both of us sweating immensely and satisfied with our practice today. I walked over to the docks, laying on my stomach to be able to reach the water below us, cupping some in my hands to wash my face off with. I heard footsteps and looked over to see Aang walking towards me, an apple in each hand. He handed me one as I sat up and he sat next to me, taking a big bite of the other.

“Thank you for showing me some of the Dancing Dragon forms, those will be fun to surprise Zuko with later.” I say, trying to make light conversation so Aang didn’t feel forced to talk about anything he didn’t want to. After a few seconds of crunching, each of us enjoying the sweet fruit, Aang sighed.

“Draya. You have to promise not to tell anyone what I’m about to ask you about.” Aang said, sounding more serious than I was ready for.

“Of course, Aang. I promise.” I said, suddenly worried what it was he was going to tell me. Aang spoke while watching the water, waving his hand slowly and waterbending small waves in the water below us.

“Draya… you and Katara are close right? Has she ever talked about… anyone?” My sudden concern melted away at his question, and a small laugh left my throat. Aang’s head snapped in my direction and he threw his hand down, causing the water to explode as if a huge ball was just thrown into it. I gasped as the water splashed up at us, the coldness of it shocking me. “Forget I asked!” Aang said, starting to get up. I grabbed his arm to keep him from leaving.

“Aang, I’m sorry. I wasn’t laughing at your question; I was laughing at how worried I was that something was wrong when really… wait. Why are you asking about Katara?” I asked, looking at him curiously with a small smile. His face became pink as he looked away, rubbing the back of his neck.

“I- I don’t know. I was just curious, I guess.” He mumbled, obviously second guessing ever saying something. I wasn’t going to tell him about the time Katara asked me about Zuko and refused to tell me about whoever she was thinking about, whoever caused her to blush when I asked her if she had a crush. I knew I had to say something though, so I chose my words carefully.

“Katara has a lot on her mind right now, I mean obviously she left with Zuko to find the man who killed her mother. On top of having to be separated from her father for the third time she’s had to try to accept Zuko into the group, someone who’s betrayed all of you, multiple times. She cares about you a lot, Aang. Just be there for her, and she’ll be there for you.” I didn’t know how Katara felt about Aang, or the other way around; at least, they’ve never said it explicitly. I saw it in their interactions, the way she spoke about him when he wasn’t around, the way he looked at her all the time. My answer seemed to satisfy Aang as his once drooping head was held tall, chest puffed out, as he stood up.

“Thanks, Draya, I’m happy I get to call you a friend.” He smiled down at me as he offered a hand up. “Can I help dry you off? Sorry about that, by the way…” He chuckled as I held my arms out, holding my breath as Aang blasted me with air and drying my clothes instantly.

“It’s not a problem when you’re friends with an airbender.” I say, smiling at him as we walked back to our campsite. It wasn’t long after that that we saw a familiar flying blob in the sky, Appa’s shape taking form the closer they got. As soon as the flying bison landed, Katara slid off and walked over to the dock without any attempt to talk to anyone. Zuko was already walking towards the camp when I shot up and met him halfway, greeting him by wrapping my arms around his neck, having to stand on up on my toes. I felt him hesitate for a second, and before I could pull away in embarrassment, his arms wrapped about my torso tightly as he took a deep breath.

“I’m glad you didn’t kill each other while you were gone.” I say when I finally pull away from the hug. Aang and Sokka were standing near us now, Sokka chuckling at my comment. Zuko gazed into my eyes before looking over at Aang.

“Nobody was killed.” He said, maintaining eye contact with Aang. Aang looked over at Katara on the docks and ran over to her, Zuko following behind him. Sokka and I watched from the campsite

“I know my sister, and while she has a temper, she could never end someone’s life. I’m glad your boyf- Zuko was with her, maybe he helped talk some sense into her. You know, considering he used to be a bad guy, he has some good advice.” He said, looking at me and grabbing his arm instinctively, as if I already swatted him, which just made me laugh and shake my head.

“I’m proud of her, and him.” I said, watching as Katara walked up to Zuko and gave him a hug before walking back to camp. That night, as we sat around the campfire, we decided to leave our campsite and hide out somewhere else. Zuko suggested his family home on Ember Island. We all agreed that it sounded like a trap, but he insisted that nobody would think to look there because nobody in their family uses it anymore. Everyone else having already gone to bed, I kept feeding the fire slowly, not ready for sleep myself. I was sitting next to the flames with my knees up to my chest, head resting on top, when Katara walked over and sat next to me. I just turned my head towards her and smiled.

“You were right, about Zuko. He is a kind person. I’m sorry it took me so long to realize that. You’ve got your eye on a good guy, Dray.” I rolled my eyes and laughed, rolling my head back to look at the fire.

“How are you feeling, Katara?” I asked, not giving her talk about Zuko any acknowledgement. She laughed a bit before replying.

“I actually feel a lot better. I don’t know if Zuko told you too but… I couldn’t do it. I don’t forgive the monster for killing my mother, and I never will. But I couldn’t take his life. I… I did bloodbend the wrong guy though.” This time, I picked up my head to look at her. I knew how strongly Katara despised bloodbending, and could see the pain on her face, confusion finally setting in from her words.

“Wait, wrong guy? I thought Zuko knew where to find him.” Katara then explained how the leader of the Southern Raiders retired a few years ago, and that she did bloodbending on the current leader.

“I… I didn’t think it would bother me so much to have that much power over someone who’s so rotten. Once I realized it wasn’t him, and I saw his body fall to the ground, I realized how awful that feeling truly was. I never want to do it again, nobody should.” She said, squeezing her hands together. I reached out, laying a hand over hers until her tension loosened.

“You’re so brave, Katara. One of the bravest people I know. And I’m proud of what you did. I’m so honored to call you my friend.”

“Best friend.” She corrected, holding a finger up and placing her hand on her hip for emphasis. I smiled at her and reached out, hugging her.


	9. Weakness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Gaang are staying in Zuko's old family beach house on Ember Island and Sokka insists they go see a play- about them! Zuko and Draya take a walk later that night, and finally say what they've both wanted to say for a long time.

The next morning, we set off for Ember Island, leaving no sign of our campsite behind. The flying bison ride wasn’t long, all of us bouncing jokes off of each other to make the ride go faster. When we got close enough to see the house, it was clear Zuko wasn’t kidding when he said nobody came out here anymore. There were patches of moss growing all over the roof, and once we landed, we saw that the moss extended to the inside.

Zuko insisted on doing some firebending training to make up for all the lost time as soon as we could, so now. Katara and Toph sat off to the side of the courtyard, relaxing as we trained. Once we were finally done, Zuko sat on the edge of the fountain that adorned the middle of the courtyard while I took a seat next to Katara, when Sokka and Suki walked in. Sokka was basically buzzing with excitement, holding a piece of paper in his hands. Apparently, there was a play written about our adventures, which Katara wasn’t sure was a good idea to go see. We all agreed that it could be fun, eventually convincing her. It had been awhile since we did something spontaneously fun.

Later that night, at the theater, we walked onto the balcony where our seats were. Toph and Katara sat down in the front row, Suki and Sokka in the row behind them. I sat down next to Katara, and as Aang was going to say something, Zuko sat next to me. Aang sat behind me and poked at the back of my head.

“Pst… Draya… PST!” I snapped my head back as he poked with a little too much pressure.

“What!?” I hissed, trying not to make a scene.

“Can… we maybe… can I sit…” Aang was motioning with his fingers, clearly wanting to sit next to Katara. Before I could say anything, the lights dimmed. I shrugged, mouthing the word “sorry” as I pointed up to the lights and turned around to face the stage. I heard Aang sigh and made a mental note to let him sit here at intermission. The play started when Katara and Sokka discovered Aang, and the last thing we saw before the break was when Aang helped save the Northern Water Tribe.

We all sat outside on some stairs, the others ranting about how much they hated the way they were portrayed. I just sat there, listening to their complaints, not knowing what to do or say. I wasn’t up there yet, they hadn’t met me. I wasn’t even sure I’d be in the play at all considering how late I joined the team. When we got back to the balcony for the next section of the show, I slid into the second row which made Zuko look at me with an eyebrow raised. I shrugged, lightly patting the spot next to me. He slid in as Aang walked onto the balcony, and he smiled when he saw where I was sitting. I gave him a small shrug as the lights went down for the next part of the play, Aang taking his seat next to Katara.

The second part started when the group met Toph, who was played by a huge burly man (which Toph loved). Her character “explained” how she sees, letting out a “sonic wave” towards on stage Team Avatar, and I laughed so hard that Zuko had to wrap his arms around me while saying “shhh don’t draw too much attention”. I swatted at his arms, telling him to let me enjoy the play. The second part ended when Azula thought she took Aang down, and we all made our way out to a hallway. Katara went to look for Aang, who had disappeared before the second part was over, while Sokka and Suki decided to try to get backstage to give Stage Sokka some Real Sokka jokes. Zuko, Toph and I sat against a wall, Toph saying how everyone was being dramatic about the show. I listened as Toph told Zuko about the time she met Iroh and seeing how Zuko’s face lit up when he heard how highly his uncle thought of him, when he thought his uncle would be disappointed in him, made my heart jump. I reached out and squeezed his hand. It dropped when he reached over to rub the part of his arm that Toph had hit, claiming it was her way of showing affection.

“You’re not officially part of the group until you get an affectionate bruise from Toph, you’re truly one of us now!” I say with a smile, earning a snicker from Toph. She stood up, yawning as she said she was going to go back into the theater and wait for the show there. Zuko and I sat in silence for a bit before he spoke.

“I’m sorry you have to see all of my past decisions like this. It’s not who I am anymore, really.” I could hear the sincerity in his voice, and I laughed lightly, shaking my head. He looked over with confusion. I turned my body towards him and gingerly grabbed his hands.

“As someone wise once told me, your past doesn’t define you. I know you’ve changed Zuko, you have nothing to apologize for. Besides that wasn’t you, not really. That was somebody you were trying to be, when you were trying to get something you thought you needed from other people. The Zuko I know now isn’t the same as the Zuko you were a year ago; the Zuko I know is kind, admirable, and when he cares, he cares deeply. That Zuko on stage doesn’t even have the scar on the right side!” He laughed, shaking his head at the comment a child dressed up as Aang had made earlier. He looked over at me, our faces closer than I realized, when we heard a throat clear. Our necks snapped over to see Sokka and Suki standing there, a smug look on Sokka’s face. I stood up and, without missing a beat, said “Not a word, Sokka.”. I walked onto the balcony and slipped onto the bench, Zuko sliding in next to me with a smile still on his face. When Sokka and Suki sat down, Sokka slowly leaned forward and stared at me.

“Boyyyyyfrieeeeend…” Sokka’s voice teased, causing me to cross my arms and sink in my seat to help hide the fact that I was blushing. Thank the spirits that the lights went down for the rest of the play to start. The play picked up at the invasion, and still I wasn’t in the play. Not that it bothered me, I've always tried to blend into the shadows anyway. Sokka was ready to get up and leave once the play caught up to the present, until Suki reminded him that the play wasn’t over. I realized that my hand had found its way into Zuko’s as we watched Stage Azula defeat Zuko, our gradually tightening grip bringing it to my attention. The play ended with Firelord Ozai defeating Aang and we all stared at the stage in horror, not knowing how to take what we just saw. Zuko was still holding onto my hand, the both of us looking down at them until the lights started to turn back on, making us scoot away from each other and drop our hands to our sides. As we walked back to Zuko’s house, we all unanimously agreed that the play was terrible.

We dispersed for the night once we got home, everyone tired from the day of training and watching awful theater. After taking my hair out of its daily bun and brushing it out in the bathroom, I walked to the room I was staying in. The sight of Zuko leaning against the wall next to the door of my temporary room came into sight as I got closer, illuminated by the dim lights that still somehow worked, and I smiled. He looked up at the sound of my footsteps, returning the smile as he pushed himself off the wall and walked towards me.

“Draya, hey… I had no idea your hair was so long; I don’t think I’ve ever seen it down.” He said, his eyes roaming the long, wavy black frizz that cascaded to my lower back. I chuckled, nervously tucking some hair behind my ear before I starting to pull it back up into a bun when Zuko lightly touched my arm, causing the grip I had on my hair to loosen. “You should wear it down more often, it looks nice.” I let my hair fall again, slightly shaking my head and looking down with a small laugh, not wanting to look at him for the fear that he’d see the blush covering my cheeks.

“I’m assuming you weren’t waiting there to talk to me about my hair. Is everything alright?” I asked, trying to stray the subject away from my appearance.

“I was going to ask if you’d like to go on a walk with me. The clouds may be covering the stars, but it’s still a nice night.” His once confident demeanor fizzled as he spoke, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. I motioned to the hall in front of us.

“Lead the way.” Zuko gave a soft nod, a small smile on his face once more, as we walked outside. He led me down a path to the beach that was near his house and we walked along the shore for a while, the only sound being the waves crashing onto the sand. Even though neither of us spoke for a long time, it was comfortable; being around Zuko just felt easy. We eventually found a flat rock to sit on, and almost as suddenly as we sat down, Zuko shot back up to his feet. He ran over to some bushes behind the rock we sat at, walking back with a hand behind him. He sat next to me again, turning to face me, before holding out a wildflower; it had the most peculiar petals that hung in sections, the white of the petals vibrant from the little bits of moonlight that shone through the clouds. I took it, staring at it hesitantly before looking up at Zuko, and he chuckled slightly at the confusion that was clear on my face.

“Back when we would come here as a family, my uncle showed me where to find these flowers on the island. It’s an iris. Uncle said there used to be an abundance of them on the island, but now they’re sparce. I always thought they were the prettiest flower when I was young so when I saw the glimpse of white, I knew I had to pick it for you.” My confusion melted into a feeling I couldn’t describe. I felt in spread from my stomach to my chest, its warmth radiating to my face until I was sure I was as red as the robes he wore.

“Zuko… thank you. That’s incredibly sweet of you.” I finally looked at him, only to see his brilliant eyes already looking at me, his smile melting into them. I put the flower down carefully behind to us before extending my arms, wrapping them around his neck. Zuko instantly wrapped his arms around my torso and buried his face into my neck, my hair making it impossible for our skin to touch.

“I’m so glad to hear you like it. I know it’s just a flower but…” I leaned away from the hug, letting my hands linger on his shoulders.

“Zuko you could give me a pebble you thought looked like Appa and I’d treasure it forever.” He let out breathy laugh, turning his head a little as he did. “It’s not the gift, but the thought.” We looked into each other’s eyes, wanting to savor every bit of this moment, and as soon as I realized how close we were, Zuko spoke.

“Draya… what are we doing? What’s this between us?” His choice of words prompted me to scoot back a bit more, dropping my hands to my lap. His arms dropped next to him as we shifted awkwardly at my sudden movement.

“I- I don’t know how to answer that.” I say, my voice flat. Even I winced at my unintentional cold tone. I was only being honest; I couldn’t answer that because even I don’t know what we were doing. There’s a war going on and I’m sitting here giggling with Zuko and admiring flowers and thinking about kissing his dumb, angry mouth… wait. Zuko let out a deep sigh which brought my attention back to him, and I looked up to see him running a hand through his hair, holding his neck. He let his hand drop into his lap and turned to me. I looked down at my lap, nervous for what he might say.

“I can’t do this anymore, whatever it is. I want to be with you, Draya. I know we haven’t known each other long; I know there’s a lot going on right now. I just… can’t stop thinking about you, even when you’re nowhere near. Even before I joined the group and we officially met, something about you always stuck with me. Something about you always seemed so familiar to me, even when we were just strangers passing each other by. We can help rebuild the Fire Nation together. With you by my side, anything would be possible.” One of his hands hesitantly reached out to grab one mine, and when I finally looked up at him, I saw with the most adoring expression I’ve ever seen on someone’s face. His hand left mine to cup my cheek lightly, the warmth of his hand comforting. Before I had time to think, I closed the distance between our mouths, moving as softly I could. The kiss was short, welcoming, sweet. There was an explosion in my stomach, and I swear it felt like a twinge of lightening sparked on our lips. I bit my bottom lip nervously, not sure how Zuko felt about the kiss, as I leaned away and looked at him. He opened his eyes slowly, smiling as he rubbed his thumb softly over my pink face.

“There are a lot of things going on right now, but the more I think about it, the more I realize that there will always be a lot of things going on. Zuko…” I sigh, never letting my gaze leave his. I lift my free hand to cradle the back of his neck, giving him a small sad smile. Before I could continue, Zuko cut me off.

“I want to be with someone who likes me for me and not someone I was pretending to be, someone who reminds me that I’m not that same person when I get lost in my guilty thoughts. Someone who feels like home, a feeling I forgot about years ago. It’s how I imagined I’d feel returning to the palace after being banished and instead, it’s how I feel with you, wherever ‘here’ is in that moment. An abandoned air temple, a makeshift cliff campsite, even in a place I never thought I’d want to visit again. I’ve never had a weakness for someone quite like I have one for you.” His last sentence made me hold my breath, shocked at the fact that Prince Zuko felt this way about me. I looked away, letting my hand drop from his neck to my lap. Zuko dropped his hand from my cheek to grab one of my hands, intertwining our fingers.

“I would never fit in at the palace, Zuko. We both know that. I’m nothing but an orphaned runaway, a wannabe soldier, who’s been living in the shadows for years now.” I stared at our hands as I spoke, fully realizing what it would mean to be with someone in the royal family. If Aang defeats Firelord Ozai, who did I think would take over for him? If not Azula, then who? Zuko laughed a little, bringing my attention back to him.

“Draya, you are so much more than that. You’re a warrior, a fighter, and a caring friend. Besides, who said anything about the palace? I’m sure my uncle will want to assume the position of Firelord, considering it was his birth right. We could live here! In this house, we could fix it up…” I raised my eyebrows in shock, causing Zuko to stop. “I mean… if you want to.” I dropped his hands and turned my body, so I was facing the ocean again. I looked out at the waves before grabbing the radiating white wildflower that still sat behind me, holding the thick stem with both hands. I focused on the petals that swayed in the wind, trying to find the right words.

“Zuko, you were my first crush. None of the boys in my village made my heart flutter the same way you did that day we ran into each other. We keep meeting at very strange times in my life… I never forgot about you, just how you made me feel.”

“And how do I make you feel now?” He asked, his voice was soft and quiet; I almost didn’t hear his words over the crashing current.

“You make me feel calm, comfortable. You make me feel like I’m not just a monster, not just someone who destroys everything in her path. Just like you said, you make me feel like I’m home. And that’s a feeling I never thought I’d know.” I finally tore my eyes away from the flower and looked over at him. He was also looking at the flower, a smile decorating his lips. “I want to be with you Zuko, just… not right now. With Sozin’s comet almost here, we have bigger things to focus on. Especially if we want a future to share.” His gaze finally met mine and his smile faded slightly as he nodded.

“But Draya, what if… what if my father wins?” I scoffed, bringing a hand up to Zuko’s cheek.

“We better make sure that doesn’t happen. And if it does, then at least we have tonight.” This made him smile, before he leaned in. His lips met mine, with intensity, this kiss lasting much longer than the first. His mouth was soft and warm, causing me to melt into his touch. My hand moved from his cheek to the back of his head, letting it get lost in his soft hair. His hand found my cheek, cradling it as he deepened the kiss. We shifted so our bodies were pressed against each other, I could feel his heart beating quickly in his chest. His free hand found the small of my back, mine finding his shoulder. When we finally broke apart, we were trying to catch our breaths while we laughed quietly. Zuko placed a small kiss on my forehead before embracing me.

“At least we have tonight.” He echoed my early statement as we sat there in each other’s arms, wishing this night would never end.


	10. Impending Doom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Gaang are enjoying the fact that their hideout was, for once, a beach house and were trying to have a fun time. Zuko couldn't believe it, and Draya helps pick up the pieces as Zuko deals with his feelings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is short chapter, but I the final few (!!) are longer so think of this one as a filler. Still cute, we support boys who cry. Everybody cries!

I sat on the front steps of the beach house lazily, everyone except Aang and Zuko sitting around me. They were working on Aang’s firebending, Sozin’s comet being only three days away, and Zuko insisted on perfecting Aang’s firebending the best they could. They weren’t at it very long before Katara began offering up watermelon juice. Zuko was upset that we were all just lying around when we should be training, and Sokka suggested that he relaxes by having a beach party with us. The others ran down to the shore, a tornado of laughter, and I stood there holding a cup of juice I had saved for Zuko. I walked over to the spot he was brooding in and offered him a small smile.  
“Juice? It’s important to stay hydrated, you know.” I poked the sliced melon towards him which earned a small smile in response. He grabbed it out of my hands, stirring the contents inside with the straw without drinking it. I shifted on the balls of my feet slightly, Zuko’s frustration radiating off him in waves. “You should come down to the beach with us, take it easy for a bit. It might help you feel better about the comet.” He opened his mouth as if he were going to say something before sighing and shaking his head.  
“I’ll meet you guy down there soon.” I gave him a small nod. Without giving it too much though, I quickly closed the distance between us and put my hands on his chest as I stood up on my toes to plant a soft kiss on his cheek. He gave me a halfhearted hug, using his free hand to quickly wrap around my waist before he turned to walk up the stairs. I made my way down to the beach where the others were building sandcastles and swimming, and I hoped that Zuko would join us soon.  
Aang, Toph and I were laughing at Sokka’s sand sculpture of Suki before we were caught by surprise when a ball of fire flew down, destroying Sokka’s hard work. I looked over to see Zuko soaring through the air, anger apparent on his face, as he threw flames towards Aang. The two of them continued fighting, making their way back to the house, and the rest of us just stood there in confusion, Sokka trying to salvage his art. Once Katara noticed something was off, she came back in from the water and we ran to meet the explosions coming from our hideout. We heard a crash from the side of the building, and when I looked over to the sound, I saw Zuko flying through the air. What has gotten into them? Into him? We all ran over to the spot where he landed, Aang jumping down from the balcony Zuko just flew off of, as I crouched next to Zuko and offered him a hand up. Katara began questioning his motives as he accepted my offer and we stood up. He was angry to be the only one to be taking the closely upcoming comet seriously, and I sighed next to him. Before I had the chance to open my mouth and say anything in the others’ (and my own) defense, I noticed the expressions on their faces.  
“About Sozin’s comet-- I was actually gonna wait to fight the Firelord until after it came.” Aang’s tone was almost sheepish as he spoke, while still holding his voice strong. I scrunched my eyebrows in confusion and noticed that Zuko was the only one to share this expression. I pursed my lips and focused on the unfolding conversation in front of me. Aang explained how he wasn’t ready, his firebending (and earthbending, as Toph kindly reminded) still needed a lot of work before he mastered them, and he didn’t think he’d be able to defeat the Firelord. Sokka and Katara offered up more reasons and it hit me that they had talked about this. I suddenly felt a twinge of something, anger and confusion and sadness; I shook the feelings away, knowing that Aang, Katara and Sokka are closer than the rest of us and that was probably why they knew. I brought my attention back to the conversation.  
“Things can’t get any worse.” I focused on Katara’s voice as she hung her head, realizing how pointless it was for me to feel upset.  
“You’re wrong.” I snapped my head towards Zuko, his icy tone catching my attention. He told us about his father (or rather, Azula’s) plan for world domination. He was right, it was worse than we could’ve imagined. To say that this 100-year-war has been awful would be a devastating understatement; wiping out the entire Earth Kingdom is just… sickening. As he spoke, Zuko found a rock to sit on, the angry energy that was keeping him upright deflating. I crouched down next to him, gingerly grabbing his hands so he’d know he’s not alone. Even though he refused to look back at me while he spoke, he squeezed my hands with reassurance.  
“You may have gotten lost Zuko, but you found your way back. You’ve found who you are.” My voice is soft as I lightly rested my chin on our intertwined hands looking up at him. He glanced down at me with a soft smile before sighing. I heard Katara drop to the ground behind me and the others shifting in the weight of what Zuko just told us. I got up and walked over to Katara, offering her some support as well. Zuko got up from the rock and we all stood there, unsure what to say next. Aang asked why Zuko failed to mention this plan before, which made me let out a small laugh. I noticed everyone turn to me and I looked away. “Sorry… it’s not like you told everyone you wouldn’t be fighting him though, Zuko isn’t the only one who’s been holding back information.” Katara shot me a glare which caused me to roll my eyes. “I’m not saying anyone’s in the wrong, I’m just saying we all need to learn what information is worth sharing.”  
“Oh, that’s rich, coming from the queen of mystery herself.” Katara retorts back, causing Sokka to walk over to her and Suki over to me. Suki shook her head as if to say, “don’t let her get to you” and I shrugged it off, aware that we had bigger things to focus on then friendship drama. That could wait. Aang had walked a few feet away and was crouching down with his head in his hands. Katara had directed her energy towards him, reminding him that’s he’s not alone. What started as a heavy, heated conversation ended in hopefulness: together we could stop Firelord Ozai. Everyone walked into a group hug, Katara’s eyes finding mine as she smiled sheepishly.  
“I didn’t mean that Draya, I’m-“  
“It’s okay, Katara.” I smiled back, walking into the spot she had made for me between her and Toph in the group hug. Katara looked over at Zuko, who was still awkwardly standing a few feet away.  
“Get over here, Zuko. Being part of the group also means being part of the group hugs.” I watched as he grimaced at the phrase “part of the group” before he reluctantly walked over to the empty spot between Toph and Suki. His hand easily finds my shoulder as his long arm wraps around Tophs’, giving it a gentle squeeze. I saw Appa flying over with Momo, knocking us all down with him as he landed; they just wanted to be included in the group hug too.  
Zuko taught Aang something his uncle taught him, how to redirect lightening, while Sokka came up with a training plan for all of us. We spent the rest of the afternoon practicing against a melon headed dummy (Melonlord, as Sokka called it), and it was dark by the time we finally sat down for the night. We were talking, relaxing on some stairs in the courtyard, when Katara brought out a picture of baby Ozai because she thought it was Zuko. It led to a heated conversation between Zuko and Aang, about life and death, causing Aang to storm off. Zuko stopped Katara from going after him, reminding her that he needs space. None of us felt like continuing our night, disbanding to our rooms after a long day of emotions and training. I started to walk towards my room when I stopped, turning around to check on Zuko before going to sleep. He had picked up the scroll with his fathers’ picture on it that Katara had discarded on the steps, staring at it for a long time before it burst into sudden flame in his hand. I walked over as he watched the ash float to the ground and placed my hand on his shoulder. His body was tense, turning his neck to look over at me.  
“I thought you went to bed.” His voice was harsh, hushed.  
“I wanted to make sure you were okay.” I offered lightly, dropping my hand as Zuko turned around to face me. I saw his face contort from anger to exhaustion. Everything about his posture drooped and he walked over to the steps, dropping the end pieces of the scrolls on the floor before sitting with a defeated huff. I walked over to sit on the step below him, turning my body towards him so my knees brushed up against his leg. I found myself tracing his features with my eyes, his face stoic, being illuminated by the light above. His hair was outrageously messy, I wanted to reach my hand out and attempt to run my finger through its tangles. He had his head tilted up towards the sky, eyes closed, as if he were basking in the stillness; I wish I knew what was going on in that sweet, angry, beautiful mind of his. I was memorizing his face completely- the soft curve of his nose, his perfectly angled jaw, the blending lines of his scar- when he opened his eyes and looked towards me.  
“I appreciate you checking on me, I’m okay. Just… nervous. And stressed. And I feel really bad about yelling at Aang. It’s just… there’s no other way and he just doesn’t get it. He has to kill him… he has to.” He was balling up his fists, and I noticed his eyes were glistening more than usual. The expression he had on his face was different from his usual gloomy one, it was more… pained? I moved up the step to be next to him, reaching my hand out to gingerly caress the back of his head, running my fingers into his hair at the base of his neck, and he softened at the touch. In one swift moment, he turned his body into mine, letting his arms wrap around my torso as he buried his face into my collarbone. My hand stayed on the back of his head, bringing my other arm around him, and we just sat there. I don’t know how long we sat there holding each other, but it was over all too soon. He sat up, looking away as he rubbed at his eyes. “Sorry, I- uh…”  
“No, you have nothing to be sorry for. It’s okay. It was about time I repaid you for holding me that time I tried to run away.” My hand was still cradling his head, absentmindedly playing with his hair in slow motions. He chuckled slightly, still sniffling. “It’s okay that you feel all those things, this is all a lot. For you, and for Aang. He’s expected to take the Firelord’s life and… the fact is, the Firelord just happens to be your father. He’s the definition of horrible. It still can’t be easy to know that, after all this, he’ll be gone. Feel your emotions now, that way your head is clear for the comet.” He turned his head to face me, my hand drifting from his neck to his cheek. His eyes were still glistening, the small twitch of a smile causing a few tears to slip out. I rubbed them away with my thumb, savoring every bit of this moment.  
“He’ll never be gone, not really. Besides, it’s not even the fact that he’ll be dead after this, it’s the fact that I don’t feel anything when I think about it. I don’t feel sad, or mad, I don’t even feel happy! I feel nothing towards the thought that I’m helping someone prepare to kill my father. Does… does that mean I’m a monster too? Am I just like Azula after all? Someone who… doesn’t care if someone lives or dies?” He dropped my gaze as he spoke, and as he looked away, I instinctively pulled him back in for a hug. The silent tears were streaming down his face quickly and I just wanted to help him the same way he helps me. He let himself slump into me as I wrapped my free arm around him, accepting the embrace.  
“You’re not a monster, Zuko. You are nothing like your father, or your sister. You’re you, someone who is kind and caring. You don’t feel anything because, well, he’s probably been dead to you for years now, even if you never realized. He hurt you, Zuko, and you’ve held onto that ever since. It’s okay to feel nothing and it’s okay to feel everything. I’m here for you.” His arms tightened around me and I felt a sob wrack through his body as he buried his head into my collarbone again. I still had one hand cradling his head and the other wrapped around his shoulders as I held him tightly until his shoulders stopped shaking. He pulled away and I brought both of my hands to his face, his cheeks hot and wet from the tears. “I’m not going anywhere.” I placed a soft kiss on his forehead, nose, and each cheek in between each word; my last kiss being on a spot where his scarred skin met the untouched skin. My lips lingered on his wet cheek as I felt his head turn until his lips met mine. This kiss was different than the ones from last night. It felt more sincere somehow as he wrapped his arms around me until we broke apart. He leaned his forehead on mine and let out a breathy laugh.  
“Thank you, for everything. I’ve never felt this comfortable with someone. I hope you never go.” It was his turn to pepper my face with soft kisses, making me melt into his embrace.  
“As much as I’d love to sit here with you for hours, we should probably get to sleep. We have a few… long days coming up.” We both shared similar smiles, soft and sad, knowing we may not get another moment like this for a while, if ever. He walked me to my room and, before I stepped inside, he had pulled me into a strong embrace, our heartbeats crashing into each other. He kissed the top of my head as we said good night. I knew life as we knew it would be changing in three days, and the only thing I could hope for was that Zuko’s by my side, no matter what happens. It was nice to have a normal teenage thought for once, about a boy, instead of the impending doom waiting to rain down on us with the comet.


	11. By Your Side

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draya and her friends find themselves at a loss when Aang vanishes in thin air, and they find their way to an "old people camp" run by none other than Zuko's Uncle Iroh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapters is kind of short, and I'm sorry for that. It's a lot of quotes and basically a filler. I hope you enjoy it nonetheless!

The next morning, we woke up and quickly packed up our stuff to leave when Toph pointed out that Aang wasn’t there. We searched the palace, but the only sign of him was his staff and a plate of offerings that was riddled with melted wax on a balcony, which usually meant Aang should be here meditating. We all split up, Toph choosing to go with Zuko for a “life changing field trip”. I giggled at the pink blush that appeared onto Zuko’s cheeks as the earthbender held onto his arm. Suki went with Katara to search the town and I went with Sokka on Appa to get an aerial view. When we all got back to the palace empty handed, concern began to form in a pit in my stomach.

Zuko mentioned that he might know of a way to find him, so we travelled to a random tavern that was buried deep in the woods. His way turned out to be asking a woman named Jun for help, because she had a huge creature (a shirshu, Zuko informed us) that could sniff out anyone no matter where in the world they were. Anyone except Aang, it turned out. The panic of the realization that our friend, the Avatar, was missing just two days before the comet really started to set in. The million possibilities of what could’ve happened ran through my head while the others conversed, and I only shifted my attention back to them when Zuko ran towards the flying bison. He came back with a flip-flop that burned the hairs in my nose with its pungent smell. Zuko said that he figured if we couldn’t find the Avatar by ourselves, we’d find someone who could help us: his uncle Iroh. Jun led us to the crumbling walls of Ba Sing Se, telling us the Iroh was near by the way her animal was reacting. She went her own way and we decided we should try to sleep a bit before going in; the moon’s been up for a while now and we were all getting tired.

I woke up not long after laying down to the sudden sound of Toph earthbending, standing up in the same place her tent just stood in. A ring of fire appeared around us and we were all on our feet in the matter of seconds. The others looked to Zuko and I first, both of us shrugging at the fire surrounding us. As I looked around, I noticed two older men standing on the rubble in between the broken walls, two more appearing next to them- none of them familiar. Katara and Sokka were the only ones who didn’t seem confused, instead they shared a knowing smile. One of the old men spoke, the man with wild hair and even more wild eyebrows, cackling to his own statement. Katara explained how they were all masters (a firebender, an earthbender, a waterbender, and a swordsman) and friends they had made along the way. The swordsman, Master Piandao, told us how they were all part of an ancient secret society, “The Order of the White Lotus” Zuko said as the knowing smile reached his face too. It turned out that they were brought together by the Grand Lotus, Zuko’s uncle Iroh, to help with something bigger. The softness that grew in Zuko’s demeanor at the mention of his uncle made my heart flutter, a soft smile spreading on my face. I reached out to give Zuko’s arm a small squeeze when the old earthbender, Bumi, realized our group wasn’t complete before contently reminding us that Aang and Momo would (probably) be okay as long as they have each other.

They guided us back to their camp and we learned how Bumi single handedly took his city, Omashu, back from the Fire Nation on the day of the eclipse. We reached a tall rock which Bumi lowered to reveal “old people camp”, as he affectionately called it. We had only taken a few steps in when I heard Zuko ask about his uncle. Master Piandao pointed to his tent, letting him know where to find Iroh. I was walking with the others and looking at the many tents that made up the White Lotus camp when Katara grabbed my arm, making me stop. She gave her head a nod, using her chin to gesture in the direction of a grand tent, which Zuko now sat in front of. I waved her and the others off with a small smile as I walked over to him, hoping I didn’t startle him.

“Zuko?” My voice was quiet as I kneeled next to him, trying to catch his gaze. He looked at his hands that sat in his lap and looked away from me as I spoke. He let out a small sigh.

“My uncle hates me, I know it. How could he not? He loved and supported me in every way he could, and I still turned against him. How can I face him?” He turned to me, his expression making him look like that little boy I ran into all those years ago, the helplessness he felt with his uncle clear on his face. I gave him a small smile as I place my hand on his shoulder, giving him a comforting squeeze.

“Your uncle loves you, Zuko, it’s clear in the things you say about him. I know you’re not who you used to be, you know you’re more than the mistakes you’ve made, and I’m sure your uncle knows that and more. If you’re truly sorry for what you did- “.

“More sorry than I’ve been about anything in my entire life.” He interrupted quietly.

“Then I’m positive that he’ll forgive you. Go, talk to him, he’ll understand.” His posture straightened and I placed a soft kiss on his cheek before he stood up, walking to the tent before stopping at the entrance and taking a deep breath. I watched as he disappeared into the tent and I walked back to join the others. We were given a tent to share, which was easy considering Toph likes to sleep in her own rock tent anyway, and trying to cram 5 sleeping bodies into a tent was easier than 6- especially when the sixth likes to sprawl out as much as possible. We woke up with the same 4 people we went to sleep with (Sokka, Katara, me and Suki, in that order) and I hazily wondered where Zuko was, realizing he probably stayed with his uncle. The thought made me smile; I knew how much he missed him. Katara and Suki joined me to meet up with Toph and the others, Sokka insisting that he needed “5 more minutes”. He ambled out of the tent with a huge yawn, a few minutes before Zuko and an older gentleman (Iroh, I’m assuming) exited the grand tent he entered last night. I found myself walking towards them, Zuko’s warm eyes meeting mine as we got closer. I instinctively wrapped my arms around his torso before pulling away, quickly remembering that his uncle was standing next to him. I bowed to him, hands held the way I was taught to when bowing to someone in command, and I heard a slight chuckle.

“Such a formal bow, I’m flattered.” I looked up to see Iroh give me a soft bow with his head and I realized the soft rasp in Zuko’s voice must run in the family. “You must be Draya, my nephew just told me so much about you. Although he did not do your beauty justice,” he turned to say the next bit to Zuko, “I can see why the iris reminded you of her. What were the words you used? The perfect balance of ‘strength and delicacy’?” I knew Zuko and I had matching pink cheeks after Iroh’s comment, which was confirmed by his uncle’s soft laugher. We walked to where the others were already eating around a pot of food. Iroh and I sat on either side of Katara with Zuko next to Toph who was sitting next to Sokka and Suki.

“Uncle, you’re the only person other than the Avatar who can defeat the Fatherlord.” I was about to say something when Toph beat me to it. Iroh ignored Zuko’s slip of the tongue, telling us how history wouldn’t interpret that well and how it would be viewed as just another act of senseless violence. Aang had to be the one to face Ozai. “And then… then would you come and take your rightful place on the throne?” Zuko asked, the shred of hope he had left obvious on his face. Our previous conversation about us fixing up and living in the beach house on Ember Island resurfaced in my mind and the thought made me smile to myself. I would give anything to be there again with Zuko instead of here, planning for the fight of our lives. I was watching the conversation in front of me, Iroh looking away at Zuko’s question.

“No. Someone new must take the throne- an idealist with a pure heart and unquestionable honor.” I watched Zuko’s expression change, looking down at the ground as he questioned his uncle. Iroh reminded Zuko of what he’s done, how how’s found his on honor by himself and how he’s the leader the Fire Nation needs as it rebuilds. Zuko shifted his gaze to me, and I was embarrassed for a split second before I read the expression on his face: determination.

“I’ll try, uncle.” He never let his amber eyes leave mine. With you by my side, anything would be possible. I could read it in his gaze, hear the echo of the words he said to me the night of the play. I gave him a soft smile, so he’d know that I plan to stay right by his side. Toph asked about Aang and Iroh reassured us Aang would follow his destiny when the comet came, just like we all would. He then told us how his destiny was to take Ba Sing Se back from the Fire Nation and return it to the Earth Kingdom, hence why he needed the help of the others in the White Lotus. It was Zuko’s destiny to be there when Firelord Ozai fell so he could assume the throne, the only hope for the Fire Nation to restore its peace.

“But Azula will be there waiting for you.” Iroh informed Zuko, causing his nephew’s expression to harden.

“I can handle Azula.”

“Not alone. You’ll need help.” His uncle quickly retorted. Zuko softened, looking at the ground before quickly looking up.

“Draya, Katara, how would you like to help me put Azula in her place?” He asked, glancing at both of us. I turned my head to meet her gaze and we shared an understanding smirk.

“It would be our pleasure.” Katara spoke while I gave an encouraging nod to Zuko. Sokka realized, with a soft nudge from Iroh, that he, Toph and Suki need to stop the airship fleet. They had to travel on an eel-hound, disgust clear on Toph’s face as she sat with Suki; unfortunately for her, it was the quickest way to the airship base considering it would only take a day which is just in time for the comet. Sokka gave Master Piandao a quick hug before taking rein of the slithering creature. I sat in Appa’s saddle with Katara, Zuko on Appa’s head with the reins, when Zuko asked his uncle what he would do once the comet was over if not be the Firelord.

“After I reconquer Ba Sing Se, I’m going to reconquer my tea shop and I’m going to play Pai Sho every day.” He flipped a Pai Sho tile in his hand before looking over to me. I sat up straight and smiled down from the flying bison’s back “Besides, I think you’re in great company.” He bowed his head slightly with a smile, and I returned the gesture. I looked to the eel-hound, seeing Sokka give a firm nod to Zuko. “Goodbye, everyone. Today, destiny is our friend. I know it.” With Iroh’s farewell, we were off; the eel-hound skittering away as Appa bellowed into the air.

None of us spoke for a long time as we flew to the palace, yet the silence wasn’t heavy. We knew that this was it, this is what we’ve been training for and truthfully, in this moment, what was there to say anyway? I was grateful for the silence, enjoying the wind on my face and the white clouds before they started to turn red. The comet was here. Katara was the first to break the silence, sitting inside the saddle next to the edge, one arm slung over the side. I had slid down to Appa’s head next to Zuko to help with the flying not long after we took off. He was worried that Aang wouldn’t be able to face the Firelord and Katara tried to reassure him that Aang has to come back.

“Everything is going to work out Zuko. We just have to focus on Azula and know that Aang is focusing on your father. We have to trust him because we know he trusts us. All of us.” I glanced over at him while I spoke, and saw him softly sigh before nodding, not offering anymore conversation for the rest of the ride. When the palace was in sight, I felt Zuko shift closer to me until our knees were touching and I smiled at the small gesture, a warm blush creeping onto my cheeks. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, Zuko having taken the reins, and tried to calm the overwhelming feeling of fear bubbling in my stomach. For Aang, for Sokka and Toph and Suki, for Katara, for myself. For Zuko. I took another deep breath, trying to let my fear dissolve with my exhale, and when I opened my eyes, I focused on the one thing I’ve focused on for years: staying alive. I just pray to the spirits that my friends stay alive too. This is it. Everything’s about to change.


	12. Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sozin's comet is here and it's time to face destiny. What will this mean for Draya and Zuko’s love story?

We arrived just in time for Azula’s coronation, seconds away from being crowned Firelord, when Appa landed with a thud. Zuko was the first to jump down, quickly followed by Katara and I. We stood next to Zuko, staring Azula down as she kneeled on the ground. I’ve only seen Azula a few times, and every time I did, she was the poster child of a proper princess, “not a hair out of place” I remember Zuko saying about her once. This Azula in front of us was… not that. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her hair so disheveled, her eyes dark and heavy as if she hasn’t slept.

“Two girlfriends, Zuzu? Really? Isn’t that a bit ambitious?” She cackled, before dropping the fake amusement from her face when Zuko said that he was there to become Firelord instead of her. She stood up and challenged Zuko to an Agni Kai, claiming it as “the showdown that was always meant to be”. When Zuko agreed and it seemed to have shocked Katara as much as it shocked me, since we both snapped our heads towards him. I knew we mimicked each other’s troubled expression, and I’ve never been more thankful to have Katara because I couldn’t find my voice to speak when I thought about Zuko fighting Azula. Zuko was aware that Azula was trying to split us up, knowing she couldn’t take all 3 of us at once (as Katara mentioned), but even he pointed out that something was “off about her”.

“I noticed that too, she looks exhausted.” I agreed, suddenly finding the right words. “I know you can do this Zuko. We’ll be here when you need us.” Katara nodded with an understanding expression, face ready to fight. We stood off to the side, far enough away from the flames yet close enough to watch. Katara and I stood next to each other, watching the siblings as they take their places on the courtyard to face off. I knew I had nothing to worry about and yet there was this pit forming in my stomach, the thought of something happening to Zuko looming. Azula was the first to throw her flame, the blue as blinding as it was scorching. Zuko’s orange burst of flame collided with hers and I watched as the heat radiated into my skin. I felt Katara’s hand find mine, only realizing it had been shaking when her steady grip found it. I glanced at her with a soft smile, the sweatiness of my hand apparent against her cool palm. I retuned my attention to the Agni Kai, not wanting to lose sight of Zuko. I was thankful we were standing where we were, until I saw how many buildings were on fire around us. Fire really does do nothing but destroy. I watched as their flames collided over and over, reaching the air around them, but never touching them. The fact was, they were both incredible fighters, and this could be anyone’s fight. Zuko hit Azula with a hit so fierce that it knocked her off her feet, causing her to tumble to the ground and lose what little control she had of her hair. It fell around her face as she stood up, breathing heavily. I felt Katara start to walk forward and I pulled her back.

“Katara, what in the spirits are you doing?” I hissed at her, and I hoped my face showed how confused I was.

“What do you mean? We have to help him, look at her! She’s so angry, she’s about to explode. Don’t you want to help him?” She asked, firmly pulling her hand away and walking out onto the courtyard before I could respond.

“Katara!” I snapped at her, reluctantly following her out. Zuko yelled something about lightening to Azula, causing her to work up a huge electrical spark. I was too busy tugging on Katara’s arm and trying to get her off of the courtyard considering they’re in the middle of an Agni Kai for spirits sake. I noticed that Katara was stuck in place, eyes wide while she stared in awe, so I followed her gaze to see the brightest flash of blue blinding me, its crackling getting louder. In a split second, Zuko was jumping through the air between the bolt of lightning and Katara and I, unsure where exactly the bolt was going.

I felt myself cry out, yet I don’t know what left my mouth, as the electricity crashed into Zuko. His voice rang out as he flew, his “No!” echoing with my yell. I watched as his body slid and crumpled to the ground, the burst of lightening that bounced off his body glaring. He curled into himself, holding his chest with one arm, before rolling to his back. I tumbled towards him, leaving Katara behind me, and I was able to reach him in a few strides; I refusing to let anything- or anyone- stop me from being with him. I slid down next to Zuko and grabbed the hand that was lying on the ground with mine, caressing his cheek with my free hand. I was rubbing my thumb nervously on his cheek as I stared into his face, a wince contorting it as he clutched his chest where a wound splayed on his skin. Destruction, everywhere. The nations, the buildings, Zuko. I blinked my thoughts and tears away, focusing all of my energy on Zuko, who needed it more.

“Zuko it’s okay. You’re okay. Everything is goi- “, I heard Azula cackle before I felt the heat of the fire whip behind me, cutting Katara off her course. I turned my head to see if Katara needed my help, when I felt Zuko’s hand tighten around mine with as much strength as he could muster, weakly pulling me back to him. I turned to face him and saw his bleary eyes staring back at me, wincing as he spoke.

“Stay with me, please.” He croaked out, pain clear in his voice. My heart felt heavy, holding back tears at the sound of his fragile tone which caused a phrase that would normally make me feel light make feel rooted in place instead. I squeezed his hand and moved closer, holding his cheek with a firm hand.

“You’re safe now. I’ve got you.” He gazed into my eyes as long as he could before the pain took over and he clenched his body in discomfort. I looked behind me to see Katara and Azula fighting- water and fire flying through the air. I knew Azula could care less that I was here with Zuko, she was just happy to keep Katara (a waterbending healer) away from him. I was just another firebender, not even a small threat to her. I felt as Zuko tried to sit up and I turned my attention back to him, helping him get up without hurting himself further. His torso couldn’t handle his weight quite yet, and we settled with his body leaned up against mine as I sat on my knees. I rest his head against my collarbone, his back against my chest, and I placed one hand tenderly in his hair. I started absentmindedly playing with his dark soft locks as we watched the fight rage on.

Katara and Azula ended up across the courtyard, and we watched as they made their way under the archways that surrounded the courtyard. Suddenly, they were both engulfed in ice and I held my breath- Katara is by far the best waterbender I know, but to consume themselves completely? She skillfully unfroze herself, floating around Azula as she bound her wrists before letting the ice melt and drop below them. She tightened the chains to ensure Azula couldn’t escape before running over to us. She grabbed some of her bending water and held it over the wound on Zuko’s chest. I felt his body ease a bit, some of the painful tension clearly resolving with Katara’s healing.

“Thank you, Katara.” He said, his voice finally deflating from the pain and his body sunk into me as exhaustion seemed to wash over. I brushed his hair out of his face lightly and place my cheek on top of his head, as Katara kneeled next to him crying from everything that just happened.

Katara and I helped Zuko stand up and he wrapped his free arm around my shoulders; I wasn’t sure if it was for support or comfort, but I was happy to be close to him all the same as I wrapped my arm around his waist. We all watched as Azula began sobbing, her body wracked with wave after wave of emotion. She quickly became a mess of tears and blue flames as she sobbed, and it became obvious to me that she had been holding all of this in for so long. I felt Zuko’s arm tense around me, and I pulled him closer, my fist full of the fabric from his top.

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The rest of that night blended together once we met with the others, catching up in rotations as Zuko and Sokka received medical attention (Sokka ended up hurting his leg when stopping the airship fleet, and had to walk around with a crutch for a while). Zuko had chosen the proper placements for his father and sister, Ozai in a Fire Nation prison and Azula in a mental institution. Aang told us about the lion-turtle and how it showed him how to bend another’s energy, finally finding his answer to defeating the Firelord without taking his life.

The day of Zuko’s coronation was bright, the sun shining in the sky without a cloud in sight. I was waiting in an open hallway of the palace for Zuko to finish cleaning up, his robe draped over my crossed arms. Considering he had to bandage up his chest and shoulder, I knew he’d need help with it anyway. I was wearing the fanciest robe I think I’ve ever worn in my life, that was the prettiest shade of red I’ve ever seen with the lightest gold swirls in the fabric. The sunlight lit the room up in an orange gold, making the regal décor look like a dream. I heard unfamiliar footsteps, surprisingly light for anyone I knew, and I turned around to come face to face with someone I’ve only seen in passing. She was tall, slender, and has sleek black hair with two buns that sit on the back of her head. She wore long, crimson robes with white accents, and stood in the archway with her arms crossed over her body. She glanced at Zuko’s robe in my arms, and her face flat.

“You must be the other… firebender. Draya, was it?” As soon as she spoke, a calm dull tone, I knew who she was.

“You must be Mai. It’s nice to finally meet you.” I decide to say, not sure what else there’d be to say. I bow my head slightly in greeting, her flat face never changing.

“Whatever, I just wanted to know what you look like.” She said, looking away from me suddenly and walking up to the balcony, placing her hands on the edge as she looked out. “I guess it makes sense why he chose you.” Her infliction was as flat as her earlier statement and yet it was filled with more poison somehow.

“He didn’t choose anyone except himself. He chose his nation.” I say, feeling suddenly defensive, except I wasn’t sure if it was for me or Zuko. I didn’t know what Mai was here for, so I chose what I said carefully. “He cares about you Mai; you’ve known each other since you were kids and have been through a lot together. He told me that he’ll always care for you. I hope you forgive him for being an idiot that only leaves a goodbye letter.” I looked over to see a slight twinge on her face, a ghost of a smile maybe? She let out a long sigh before turning to walk away.

“I just wanted to say hello. Let him know I stopped by.” She said as casually as she could, although I heard a hitch in her voice when she mentioned Zuko. She had just walked back through the archway she entered through when Zuko walked down the hall from the other side of the luxurious hallway, a smile on his face as he got closer. I gave a small smile in return and held his robe out for his as he approached. I helped him shrug it on, and I noticed that he flinched slightly when he rose his shoulders. I didn’t know how else to bring up Mai’s brief appearance.

“Mai stopped by. She said hello.” I said, focusing on tying Zuko’s robe instead of looking up at him. When it was neatly done, I glanced up, his amber eyes already studying my face. I shrugged. “She seems nice.” This earned a small laugh from him.

“That’s not typically a word people use with Mai, but she is… once you get to know her.” I wrapped my arms around his waist gingerly and softly placed my head on his chest. I listened to his heartbeat as he gently draped his arms around me. I felt him rest his cheek on my head as he let out a content hum.

“Firelord Zuko… it has a nice ring to it.” I say, feeling his body rumble as he chuckled, and we pulled apart so we could look at each other. My hands lingered on his hips and his on my upper arms.

“So does Queen Draya.” I tried to let out a real laugh, but given the soft expression he gave me, I could tell it wasn’t convincing. I sighed and shook my head, smiling up at him.

“Zuko. I want to be with you, I can’t imagine not being by your side. You’re going to need all of the support you can get as you rebuild the Fire Nation, and I plan to be next to you every step of the way.” He smiled at me and I softly placed my hand on his cheek. “I don’t know if I’m ready for that, but I am ready to be your girlfriend… if you still want to be together.” His hand covered the one I had on his cheek, pushing his face into my palm and his free hand found my hip.

“We have the rest of our lives, I’m in no rush. As long as you’re with me, anything is possible.” I leaned forward and met his lips with a soft kiss. His hand snaked behind me as he pulled me closer, deepening the kiss with a smile, making me savor the moment that much more. When we pulled apart, I laughed nervously.

“That’s good, because I was looking at the damages done from the Agni Kai and… there’s a lot.” I gestured to the buildings around us before bringing my hand in and delicately dragging my index finger down Zuko’s torso, trying to only touch the fabric so I wouldn’t hurt him. “You’ll need enough time to heal before you really get out there too much.” He grabbed my hand and intertwined our fingers, walking towards his bedroom to finish getting dressed up in his Firelord attire. “Fire does tend to leave a lot of destruction in its path.”

“Do you remember when Aang and I went to the Sun Warrior ruins? Spirits, that feels like so long ago. Aang said something while we were there that stuck with me. He called the fire he held a heartbeat. Fire does destroy, it also breathes and lives. The Fire Nation will soon be able to live and breathe freely the way fire should, and soon firebenders won’t be known for their destruction.”

“You haven’t even been officially crowned, yet you sound like the wisest Firelord I already know you’ll be known for. That is a nice way to think about firebending, though.” We stopped in front of his room and I heard voices coming from inside. I raised an eyebrow to him, and he chuckled, pulling me into his room. There were a few men, making sure Zuko’s robe and armor look perfect as it hung on a mannequin, who turned at the sound of us entering. They all started speaking at once and Zuko smiled at them.

“We were beginning to wonder when you’d show up to get ready for the coronation, Prince Zuko!” One of them said with a smile.

“Oh, I can help him get ready… if that’s okay with you?” I said, turning my head towards Zuko quickly as the words tumbled out of my mouth without thought. He gave one nod to me and looked to the men.

“Draya will help me, thank you for preparing my clothing.” He said, his noble demeanor slightly endearing. They all bowed to him, and then me, before shuffling out of the room. We walked towards the mannequin and he shot me a smirk. “Have you ever helped dress someone in royal garb before?” I pursed my lips and nodded my head in little quick nods.

“I only exclusively help dress people in royal garb.” We laughed and I removed the top layer of armor, carefully laying it on the bed. “I just thought you could help me figure it out.” I helped him slide the heavier robe over his arms and secure it in place. I never thought something as simple as helping a healing Zuko get dressed could be a memory I want to cherish forever, thinking to myself how I never want to forget the gentleness in his voice or the softness in his touch.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

We were all lounging in Iroh’s tea shop, and it was amazing how it felt to really relax without too much worry for the future. We could really just enjoy this moment; the soft music Iroh was playing that reminded me of the old man who used to play music on his porch every night in my home village, the sight of Aang happily played with Momo on the ground and Toph lazily sipped on her tea, sitting with Katara and Suki at the Pai Sho table as they explained how to play. Zuko had walked up with a glass of tea for each of us, which caused Sokka to groan from across the room.

“Drayyyya, tell your boyfriend to stop moving so much. I'm trying to capture the moment!" Sokka's comment made me smile, because I couldn't deny it this time: Zuko is my boyfriend, and nothing made me happier than he did. We all walked over to see his artwork and immediately started questioning his artistic creativity.

“Well, I think you all look perfect!” Toph chimed in, causing us all to laugh. Aang walked outside to feed Appa, disappearing onto the balcony, and was soon followed by a rather confident looking Katara. I smiled to myself, silently celebrating with her in my head because finally. I stood next to Zuko, wrapping one arm around his torso as he wrapped his arm around my shoulder. He pulled me in closely and I placed my free hand on his chest, resting my head above my hand. I could hear his heartbeat, a reminder that we made it, Zuko made it, and we’re here together, and Sokka is cracking jokes with Toph while Iroh plays more music and everything about this moment is perfect.

Life wouldn’t magically be easy after this, easier yes, but there’s still a lot of hard work to do. With the Harmony Restoration Movement that Earth King Kuei, Aang and Firelord Zuko (which is still surreal to say) have been working on being announced tonight, I knew this moment was fleeting. We can rebuild the Fire Nation, rebuild their reputation with the world; the seven of us have gotten through so much and I knew we could get through more, together. I knew that, with Zuko by my side, anything would be possible. This movement was the first of many, a big one that would help with the growth of our world as we know it. There might be destruction everywhere, and now it’s time to rebuild something beautiful from the rubble. 


End file.
